Casuistry

Noun

 * 1) The process of answering practical questions via interpretation of rules or cases that illustrate such rules, especially in ethics.
 * 2)  A specious argument designed to defend an action or feeling.

Synonyms

 * casuistics
 * rationalization, excuse, legalism

Related terms

 * casuist
 * casuistic


 * casuistical
 * casuistically
 * casuistics

Thesaurus
aesthetics, altruistic ethics, apologetics, apologia, apology, apparent soundness, aretaics, argument, argumentation, axiology, bicker, bickering, categorical imperative, circularity, comparative ethics, contention, controversy, cosmology, crossed fingers, deception, deceptiveness, defense, delusion, deontology, disingenuousness, disputation, dispute, distortion, egoistic ethics, empiricism, emptiness, epistemology, equivocalness, equivocation, ethical formalism, ethical philosophy, ethics, ethology, ethonomics, eudaemonics, evasive reasoning, evolutionism, fallaciousness, fallacy, first philosophy, flyting, gnosiology, golden rule, hassle, hedonism, hollow mockery, hollowness, hubbub, insincerity, intuitionism, jesuitism, jesuitry, litigation, logic, logomachy, mental philosophy, metaphysics, misapplication, mockery, moral philosophy, mystification, obfuscation, obscurantism, ontology, oversubtlety, paper war, passage of arms, perfectionism, perversion, phenomenology, philosophastry, philosophic doctrine, philosophic system, philosophic theory, philosophical inquiry, philosophical speculation, philosophism, philosophy, plausibility, plausibleness, polemic, polemics, rationalization, rhubarb, school of philosophy, school of thought, science of being, set-to, situation ethics, sophism, sophistical reasoning, sophistication, sophistry, special pleading, speciosity, specious reasoning, speciousness, spuriousness, subtlety, theory of beauty, theory of knowledge, tongue in cheek, uncandidness, uncandor, unfrankness, utilitarianism, value theory, verbal engagement, vicious circle, vicious reasoning, war of words, wrangling