eristic
- noun
- /ɪˈrɪstɪk/
- Formal
:
erística
- The debate descended into mere eristic, with both sides focusing on winning rather than on truth.
Examples
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His style of eristic was criticized as being more about verbal victory than understanding.
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Some scholars value eristic as a means of sharpening their argumentation skills.
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His approach to debate was purely eristic.
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She often engages in eristic discussions that lead nowhere.
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The argument quickly turned into eristic as both sides became more interested in winning than in finding common ground.
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Many politicians engage in eristic debates, prioritizing victory over the truth of the issues at hand.
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In her class, we learned that effective communication should avoid eristic tactics and instead promote understanding.
Antonyms
How Contentious
23
8.5
- Formal
3
9.1
- Formal
- Formal
2
8.5
- Formal
∞
2.0
∞
1.4
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Etymology
Eristic comes from the Greek eris, meaning 'strife' or 'argument'. A helpful way to remember this noun is that eristic as a practice is the 'art of arguing' aimed at winning the word-fight, not at discovering the truth.