Facts vs Definition?

Question

Lets say I got into this agrument with a friend. We were talking about lightspeed/speed of light interests. We were talking and I was like, "did you know with speed of light you could go around the earth seven times in 1 sec."

Then that "said" friend was like, "okay, wow you didn't need to give me the definition, I already know what it is." But I was like I didn't. And that "said" friend insisted that I did and then I was like tryin to explain how I think I didn't give a definition or something like that. I simply stated a fact or a interesting trivia, did I not? My friend again insist that it was simply a given when you talk about lightspeed, and didn't need to get all technical. Saying just that is simply a definition already. Then we got into this agrument.

But that not true is it? I mean if I said, "did you know that the speed of sound could go from here to there in less then 2 mins? But does that give you a defintion or somewhat understanding of the speed of soun

Answer 1

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What you mentioned was an example of what the speed of light could achieve. It was not a definition of speed of light, per se.

The definition of speed of light would be something like 'about 1,86,000 miles per second' and not 'you could go around the earth 7 times in second' with the speed of light.

A definition would roughly be what a thing is, and an explanation about the thing is what it can do.

So I think you are right that your answer was not a definition of speed of light.

Answer 2

Sounds like to me that you gave your friend an example of an application of the definition and not the definition itself

Answer 3

This is highly a fact that what u think is right or wrong. In ur fact, u seem to be right. But if ur friend thinks he has given a gr8 definition, then let him think that. It will not change anything