casuistry
Say it: KAZ-yoo-iss-tree /ˈkazjʊɪstri/ · noun
What “casuistry” means
Clever but faulty reasoning about right and wrong.
More precisely: Clever but unsound reasoning, especially about moral questions.
When to use it
When someone uses elaborate moral reasoning to excuse questionable behaviour. A formal, critical word for twisting ethical distinctions.
It can also mean
It can also mean reasoning about moral questions by examining particular cases.
Similar words
sophistry, specious reasoning, equivocation
Where it comes from
From casuist, ultimately from Latin casus, 'case'; originally case-by-case moral reasoning.
Quick check
A person argues that taking a neighbour's apples is acceptable because the neighbour probably would have shared them anyway. That's…
casuistry or consent?
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casuistry
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