ABSTRACT
By tradition, textbook writers are required first of all to define their subjects, but if they follow this tradition they are criticized for ignoring the fact that meaningful definitions cannot be produced without the knowledge which the textbook is expected to supply. In a way, such criticism is justified—our initial definition of ‘Criminology’, for example, will have to include words such as ‘crime’ and perhaps also ‘punishment’ whose real meaning can unfold itself only in the light of the material presented in later sections. It is generally agreed, however, that even with such limitations a preliminary working definition is indispensable as a provisional basis for further discussion.
