User:Genghis Khant/Glossary

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In discussions about religion, philosophy and logic, terms are often used which may not be familiar to the casual reader. The following list gives a brief definition of some of these terms.

A
A priori - Latin for "from what comes before". A priori knowledge is gained independently of experience.

A posteriori - Latin for "from what comes later". A posteriori knowledge is gained from experience.

Ad infinitum - Latin for "[to the point of] infinity". Used to decribe something (usually an argument) which goes on and on.

Ad nauseam - Latin for "[to the point of] nausea". Used to decribe something which has continued for so long that someone is sick of it.

E
Eisegesis -From the Greek 'to lead in' - Is the process of interpretation of an existing text in such a way as to introduce one's own ideas (c.f exegesis). While exegesis draws out the meaning from the text, eisegesis occurs when a reader reads his/her interpretation into the text. As a result, exegesis tends to be objective when employed effectively while eisegesis is regarded as highly subjective. Someone who practices eisegesis is known as an eisegete. The term eisegete is often used in a mildly derogatory fashion. (Andy Schlafly anyone?)

Exegesis - From the Greek 'to lead out' - Involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a religious books. Exegesis may also be used to describe the elucidation of philosophical and legal texts. Someone who practices exegesis is known as an exegete.

Epistemology - From Greek - episteme, "knowledge" + "logos". The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge.

H
Hermeneutics - Is the development and study of theories of the interpretation and understanding of texts. In contemporary usage in religious studies, hermeneutics refers to the study of the interpretation of religious texts. An exegesis is the interpretation and understanding of a text on the basis of the text itself. A hermeneutic is a practical application of a certain method or theory of interpretation, often revolving around the contemporary relevance of the text in question.

0
Occam's razor - A principle attributed to the 14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar William of Ockham that "All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best". Ontological argument - Attempts the method of a priori proof, which uses intuition and reason alone. Often used in reference to St. Anselm of Canterbury's reasoning for the existence of "God".

R
Reductio ad  absurdum - Latin for "reduction to the absurd". A disproof by showing that the consequences of the proposition are absurd or a proof of a proposition by showing that its negation leads to a contradiction.

T
Teleological argument - Or argument from design. [Teleology from the Greek: telos - end or purpose]. Basically the underlying argument of Intelligent Design - if something looks like it was designed then it must have had a designer. Cicero originally cited a water-clock or sundial as an example of design, which was updated by Voltaire to a pocket-watch. Hence the title of Richard Dawkins book on evolution, The Blind Watchmaker.