What's the difference between tautology and variable?

Tautology


Definition:

  • (n.) A repetition of the same meaning in different words; needless repetition of an idea in different words or phrases; a representation of anything as the cause, condition, or consequence of itself, as in the following lines: --//The dawn is overcast, the morning lowers,/And heavily in clouds brings on the day. Addison.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Two studies are reported in which subjects rated the acceptability of different tautological constructions either alone (Experiment 1) or with supporting contextual information (Experiment 2).
  • (2) Barton rubs Old Firm up the wrong way Joey Barton apologises ‘unreservedly’ after being sent home by Rangers Read more The phrase “Joey Barton Twitter storm” is pretty much a tautology, so it was no surprise that his decision to sign for Rangers in May had social media in a kerfuffle when his 2012 tweet – “I am a Celtic fan” – was dredged up so that it might be subject to calm and sober scrutiny from all concerned.
  • (3) These 5 were classified into 2 operations of varying the independent variable, 2 of holding the independent variable constant, and tautology.
  • (4) If Farage was tempted to reply that his opponent trades in a cut-price political rhetoric that reduces debate to a bewildering brew of slogans, tautologies and clap-lines, he chose instead to occupy the argumentative high ground – or as close as Ukippers get to it.
  • (5) What do tautological phrases such as Boys will be boys, A promise is a promise, or War is war mean and how are they understood?
  • (6) None of the other freedoms are as free as they were meant to be, so how about we make this freedom a bit less of a freedom to make it more in line with the other non-freedoms.” Caught up in the tautology of his argument, the prime minister went on to make ever wilder and contradictory claims.
  • (7) However, this tautologic upper limit does not uniquely define the critical duration.
  • (8) Duration judgments were explaned predominantly by succession, whereas succession judgments were explained tautologically or by mere "seeing."
  • (9) This is what passes for significant thought in the GOP: new scare facts colliding with new anecdotes of meetin’ folks, all to explain re-synonymized tautologies.
  • (10) Our results indicate that glucoreceptor cells in tissues perfused by carotid arteries may play a tautological role in the sympathetic response to hypoglycemia and imply that glucose-sensitive receptors must also be located elsewhere in the central nervous system or in the periphery.
  • (11) They are nothing more, Stewart now acknowledges, than tautologies.
  • (12) Confining the diagnosis of schizophrenia to the severe cases indicates a conservative, perhaps tautological, approach to this diagnosis.
  • (13) To avoid tautology, the nature of these was confirmed by immunostaining for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and factor VIII-related antigen (FVII RAg).
  • (14) The first is a tautology lacking explanatory power.
  • (15) The reasoning may be questioned because of faulty inferential leaps, undue reliance on the concept of 'maturity', the use of a tautology, ('The dependent person is...dependent'), internal contradictions, and a questionable analogy between children's and adults' behaviour.
  • (16) The basic tenet of twin biology, that most twin excess anomalies are due to MZs, is a myth self-perpetuated by a methodological tautology, and is false, at least for mortality.
  • (17) It is argued that since Heather & Robertson's 'new' approach incorporates a set of assumptions parallel to those of the disease concept it is equally tautological, and therefore does not represent the type of change in paradigm they propose.
  • (18) Historian and MP Tristram Hunt is indicted for "tautology and other errors".
  • (19) It is this devotion to the infinitely unknown that makes Hugo so meticulous in giving the reader Valjean's prison numbers; and why Valjean's name is almost a tautology.
  • (20) Forensic factors were found to be positively related to length of admission; and motivation for treatment--a problematic concept which has frequently been regarded as tautologous--is also discussed.

Variable


Definition:

  • (a.) Having the capacity of varying or changing; capable of alternation in any manner; changeable; as, variable winds or seasons; a variable quantity.
  • (a.) Liable to vary; too susceptible of change; mutable; fickle; unsteady; inconstant; as, the affections of men are variable; passions are variable.
  • (n.) That which is variable; that which varies, or is subject to change.
  • (n.) A quantity which may increase or decrease; a quantity which admits of an infinite number of values in the same expression; a variable quantity; as, in the equation x2 - y2 = R2, x and y are variables.
  • (n.) A shifting wind, or one that varies in force.
  • (n.) Those parts of the sea where a steady wind is not expected, especially the parts between the trade-wind belts.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Although the mean values for all hemodynamic variables between the two placebo periods were minimally changed, the differences in individual patients were striking.
  • (2) Single-case experimental designs are presented and discussed from several points of view: Historical antecedents, assessment of the dependent variable, internal and external validity and pre-experimental vs experimental single-case designs.
  • (3) We have examined overlapping octapeptides from the kappa IIIb light chain variable region and show that some framework peptides have the ability to bind aggregated IgG.
  • (4) The family comprises at least three variable (V) gene segments, three constant (C) gene segments, and three junction (J) gene segments.
  • (5) Altogether 47 variables were investigated, and of these 34 gave results which were statistically significant.
  • (6) Variables included an ego-delay measure obtained from temporal estimations, perceptions of temporal dominance and relatedness obtained from Cottle's Circles Test, Ss' ages, and a measure of long-term posthospital adjustment.
  • (7) However, it is easier for them to cope with anxiety because premedication pacifies the patients, whereas each of the dependent variables, such as apprehension, is influenced differently.
  • (8) The half-life was very variable between subjects [2-8 hours], but less variable within subjects and it was unaffected by the formulation.
  • (9) Since 1979, patients started on long-term lithium treatment at the Psychiatric Hospital in Risskov have been followed systematically with recording of clinical and laboratory variables before the start of treatment, after 6 and 12 months of treatment, and thereafter at yearly intervals.
  • (10) Aside from these characteristic findings of HCC, it was important to reveal the following features for the diagnosis of well differentiated type of small HCC: variable thickening or distortion of trabecular structure in association with nuclear crowding, acinar formation, selective cytoplasmic accumulation of Mallory bodies, nuclear abnormalities consisting of thickening of nucleolus, hepatic cords in close contact with bile ducts or blood vessels, and hepatocytes growing in a fibrous environment.
  • (11) Examined specific relationships, as they occur in nature, between particular dietary variables or groups of variables and specific MMPI subscales.
  • (12) Excretion of inactive kallikrein again correlated with urine flow rate but the regression relationship between the two variables was different for water-load-induced and frusemide-induced diuresis.
  • (13) Our prospective study has defined a number of important variables in patients with clinical evidence of mast cell proliferation that can predict both the presence of SMCD and the likelihood of fatal disease.
  • (14) The dilemmas faced by the genetic counsellor are discussed in this variable autosomal dominant condition.
  • (15) Regression analysis on the 21 clinical or laboratory parameters studied showed that the only variable independently associated with CSF-FN was the total protein concentration in the CSF; this, however, explained only 14% of the observed variation in the CSF-FN concentration and did not show any correlation with CNS involvement.
  • (16) A number of variables which could influence the test has been evaluated and standardized in a way suitable for the routinary use of the technique described.
  • (17) There is a considerably larger variability of the mercury levels in urine than in blood.
  • (18) Blood gas variables produced from a computed in vivo oxygen dissociation curve, PaeO2, P95 and C(a-x)O2, were introduced in the University Hospital of Wales in 1986.
  • (19) Variability (CV = 0.7%) in body volume of a 45-year-old reference man measured by SH method was very similar to variation (CV = 0.6%) in mass volume of the 60-1 prototype.
  • (20) Both demographically and clinically assessed behavioral variables were related to a number of outcome measures, including days in the community, clinical ratings, and family assessment.