CASUISTRY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does casuistry mean? 

• CASUISTRY (noun)
  The noun CASUISTRY has 2 senses:

1. argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading

2. moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas

  Familiarity information: CASUISTRY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CASUISTRY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("casuistry" is a kind of...):

argument; argumentation; line; line of reasoning; logical argument (a course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating a truth or falsehood; the methodical process of logical reasoning)

Derivation:

casuist (someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious)

casuistic (of or relating to or practicing casuistry)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("casuistry" is a kind of...):

ethics; moral philosophy (the philosophical study of moral values and rules)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "casuistry"):

probabilism (a Roman Catholic system of casuistry that when expert opinions differ an actor can follow any solidly probable opinion that he wishes even though some different opinion might be more probable)

Derivation:

casuistic (of or relating to the use of ethical principles to resolve moral problems)