definition of concepts, use of article

[kooiu]

Please when can one use the definite article and the indefinite article in definition of concepts, ideas and things?

Is it correct to define concepts as follows?

1) Legitimacy refers to an attitude in people's minds to accept a regime's rule as rightful.

2) Legitimacy refers to the attitude in people's minds to accept a regime's rule as rightful.

3) Legitimacy is the attitude in people's minds that a regime's rule is rightful.

4) Legitimacy is an attitude in people's minds that a regime's rule is rightful.


5) Sociology is the study of society.
6) Sociology refers to a study of society.

[kooiu]

please help me with the issue earier posted. Thank you.

[albertino]

Please when can one use the definite article and the indefinite article in definition of concepts, ideas and things?

Is it correct to define concepts as follows?

1) Legitimacy refers to an attitude in people's minds to accept a regime's rule as rightful. (The underlined here and (4) below are in descrpitive, not restrictive, sense. There would be more than one attitude in people's minds, so "an attitude" is used.)

2) Legitimacy refers to the attitude in people's minds to accept a regime's rule as rightful.

3) Legitimacy is the attitude in people's minds that a regime's rule is rightful.

4) Legitimacy is an attitude in people's minds that a regime's rule is rightful.(Explanation is just the same as above.)


5) Sociology is the study of society.
{Here, "the study of society" (and not the others) is restrictive, so "the definite article" is used. Cf. a sociological study: here, there may be many other studies, among which, sociology is only one of them, so "a" is used before "study".[i.e. a (sociological) study]}

6) Sociology refers to a study of society.

Disclaimer: I'm not a teacher.