Definition

1. Noun:
   • A strict adherence to traditional methods or doctrines, especially in theology or philosophy: "Scholasticism" can refer to an emphasis on formal, academic, and often rigidly orthodox approaches to learning and argumentation.
   • The dominant system of philosophical and theological thought in medieval European universities: Specifically, "Scholasticism" denotes the intellectual movement that sought to reconcile classical philosophy (particularly Aristotle) with Christian theology, characterized by its method of critical commentary and dialectical reasoning.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The professor's approach was marked by a dry scholasticism that focused more on textual commentary than on original ideas.
  • Scholasticism was the primary intellectual framework in Europe from the 12th to the 17th centuries.

Advanced Usage

• "medieval scholasticism": specifically refers to the historical movement.

  • The debates of medieval scholasticism laid the groundwork for later Western philosophy.

• "sterile scholasticism": used critically to describe an approach seen as overly pedantic and unproductive.

  • He criticized the legal profession for its sterile scholasticism, detached from real-world problems.

Variants and Related Words

• Scholastic (adj): Pertaining to schools, academic learning, or specifically to the medieval Scholastic movement.
  • The debate followed a highly scholastic method.
• Scholastic (n): A philosopher or theologian in the Scholastic tradition.
  • Thomas Aquinas was a famous Scholastic.

Synonyms

• Dogmatism: Stubborn adherence to doctrine.
• Traditionalism: Adherence to tradition, especially in cultural or religious practice.
• Academicism: Adherence to formal or conventional rules in art or philosophy.

Antonyms

• Empiricism: The theory that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.
• Innovation: The introduction of new ideas or methods.
• Eclecticism: Selecting ideas from a diverse range of sources and systems.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• "Scholastic method": The dialectical technique of posing questions, citing authorities, and arguing for and against propositions.
  • The scholastic method involved rigorous disputation on philosophical questions.
• "Scholastic theology": Theological study conducted according to the principles of Scholasticism.
  • Scholastic theology sought to harmonize faith and reason.

Noun

1. orthodoxy of a scholastic variety
2. the system of philosophy dominant in medieval Europe; based on Aristotle and the Church Fathers