Sophistry
Sophistry
Sophistry (/ˈsɒfɪstri/; from Ancient Greek: σοφιστής, sophistēs) is a method of argument that is seemingly plausible though actually invalid and misleading. The term comes from ancient Greece, where sophists were a category of teachers who specialized in using the tools of philosophy and rhetoric for the purpose of teaching virtue or excellence.
Etymology
The term sophistry has its roots in Ancient Greece. The word sophist (sophistēs) derives from the Greek words for wisdom (sophia) and wise (sophos). The word was originally used to describe expertise in a particular knowledge or craft. However, it gradually came to denote a class of itinerant intellectuals who taught courses in various subjects, including rhetoric, a pre-Socratic philosophy, and the art of successful living, for a fee.
Related Terms
- Rhetoric: The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
- Philosophy: The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline.
- Pre-Socratic Philosophy: A period of Greek philosophy that existed before Socrates.
- Ancient Greece: A civilization belonging to a period of Greek history from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of antiquity (c. AD 600).
Usage
Sophistry is often associated with deceptive reasoning and fallacious argumentation. Sophists are hence often regarded as insincere or deceitful, using clever but misleading arguments to deceive others. The term is used pejoratively.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sophistry
- Wikipedia's article - Sophistry
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