[50NL] Raise "to define my hand" or just call down?

[ciro bonano]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (4 handed)

SB ($86.40)
Hero ($52.00)
UTG ($44.80)
Button ($47.00)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises to $1.75</font>, Hero calls $1.50.

Flop: ($3.75) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $2</font>, Hero calls $2.

Turn: ($7.75) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $4</font>, Hero calls $4.

River: ($15.75) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $10</font>, Hero calls $10.

Obviously reads help a lot here but I had none.

I'm a bit torn between the two concepts:
- Define your hand with a raise, so you won't keep calling off your stack with a medium hand (as Harrington suggests in his books)
- Raising only folds out worse hands, so why not just call down on this dry board and let him hang himself if he has a worse hand?

I find the second reasoning much more appealing, but I'm still not really happy about the way I played this hand.