OBJECTIVES
Noun
objectives
plural of objective
Source: Wiktionary
OBJECTIVE
Ob*jec"tive, a. Etym: [Cf.F. objectif.]
1. Of or pertaining to an object.
2. (Metaph.)
Definition: Of or pertaining to an object; contained in, or having the
nature or position of, an object; outward; external; extrinsic; -- an
epithet applied to whatever ir exterior to the mind, or which is
simply an object of thought or feeling, and opposed to subjective.
In the Middle Ages, subject meant substance, and has this sense in
Descartes and Spinoza: sometimes, also, in Reid. Subjective is used
by William of Occam to denote that which exists independent of mind;
objective, what is formed by the mind. This shows what is meant by
realitas objectiva in Descartes. Kant and Fichte have inverted the
meanings. Subject, with them, is the mind which knows; object, that
which is known; subjective, the varying conditions of the knowing
mind; objective, that which is in the constant nature of the thing
known. Trendelenburg.
Objective means that which belongs to, or proceeds from, the object
known, and not from the subject knowing, and thus denotes what is
real, in opposition to that which is ideal -- what exists in nature,
in contrast to what exists merely in the thought of the individual.
Sir. W. Hamilton.
Objective has come to mean that which has independent exostence or
authority, apart from our experience or thought. Thus, moral law is
said to have objective authority, that is, authority belonging to
itself, and not drawn from anything in our nature. Calderwood
(Fleming's Vocabulary).
3. (Gram.)
Definition: Pertaining to, or designating, the case which follows a
transitive verb or a preposition, being that case in which the direct
object of the verb is placed. See Accusative, n.
Note: The objective case is frequently used without a governing word,
esp. in designations of time or space, where a preposition, as at,
in, on, etc., may be supplied.
My troublous dream [on] this night make me sad. Shak.
To write of victories [in or for] next year. Hudibras.
Objective line (Perspective), a line drawn on the geometrical plane
which is represented or sought to be represented.
– Objective plane (Perspective), any plane in the horizontal plane
that is represented.
– Objective point, the point or result to which the operations of
an army are directed. By extension, the point or purpose to which
anything, as a journey or an argument, is directed.
Syn.
– Objective, Subjective. Objective is applied to things exterior to
the mind, and objects of its attention; subjective, to the operations
of the mind itself. Hence, an objective motive is some outward thing
awakening desire; a subjective motive is some internal feeling or
propensity. Objective views are those governed by outward things;
subjective views are produced or modified by internal feeling. Sir
Walter Scott's poetry is chiefly objective; that of Wordsworth is
eminently subjective.
In the philosophy of mind, subjective denotes what is to be referred
to the thinking subject, the ego; objective what belongs to the
object of thought, the non-ego. Sir. W. Hamilton
Ob*jec"tive, n.
1. (Gram.)
Definition: The objective case.
2. An object glass. See under Object, n.
3. Same as Objective point, under Objective, a.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition