casuist

/'kæzjuist/

Thân thiện

A lawyer uses casuist arguments to defend his client in court.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who uses clever but unsound reasoning, especially on moral issues: A casuist is someone who engages in casuistry, applying ethical principles to particular cases of conscience or conduct, often with excessive subtlety or speciousness.
   • A person who resolves questions of right and wrong by applying theoretical rules to specific instances: This often implies the use of oversubtle, evasive, or deceptive reasoning to justify a particular position.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The politician was accused of being a casuist for twisting the facts to defend the unjust policy.
  • In the debate, he sounded more like a casuist than a principled philosopher, focusing on technicalities rather than core truths.

Advanced Usage

• "Casuistic reasoning": The method or practice of a casuist; reasoning that is overly subtle and intended to mislead or rationalize.
  • His argument was dismissed as mere casuistic reasoning designed to obscure the ethical breach.

Variants and Related Words

• Casuistry (n): The use of clever but unsound reasoning, especially in relation to moral questions; the methods or principles of a casuist.
  • Theologians have long debated the merits and dangers of casuistry.
• Casuistic (adj): Relating to or characteristic of casuistry or a casuist.
  • His casuistic argument failed to convince the jury.

Synonyms

• Sophist: A person who uses clever but fallacious arguments.
• Quibbler: A person who argues about small, unimportant details or raises trivial objections.
• Rationalizer: One who attempts to explain or justify behavior with logical-sounding but often false reasons.

Antonyms

• Dogmatist: A person who lays down principles as incontrovertibly true.
• Absolutist: A person who holds absolute principles in political, philosophical, or ethical matters.

Related Phrases

• "Engage in casuistry": To practice or employ casuistic reasoning.
  • He was not seeking truth but merely engaging in casuistry to win the argument.

Học thuật

Noun

1. someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious

Từ đồng nghĩa

• sophist