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Glite Dictionary
✝️ Ethical doctrine 🤔 Philosophical view
probabilism

probabilism

9.9
A Catholic rule that lets people follow any trusted moral opinion when experts disagree
  • noun
  • /ˌprɒbəˈbɪlɪzəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : probabilismo
  • This is where the history of, and controversies over, moral Probabilism may still have something to offer contemporary ethics.

Examples

  • -- (n16) Julia Fleming, Defending Probabilism: The Moral Theology of Juan Caramuel (Washington: Georgetown University, 2006).

    Academic text (2009)

  • The concept of probabilism allows individuals to make ethical decisions based on opinions that have solid backing without requiring absolute certainty.

  • Catholic theologians debate the merits of probabilism in situations where conflicting moral opinions exist.

  • Many modern ethicists reference probabilism when discussing how to navigate complex moral dilemmas.

Surface Forms

probabilism singular
probabilisms plural

Morphology

probabilism = probable (opaque) = probabil + ism

Although built from 'probable' + '-ism', this sense refers to a specific Roman Catholic casuistic doctrine, a specialized historical meaning not inferable from the base by an average learner.

Etymology

Probabilism comes from the common word probable ('likely' or 'provable') plus the ending -ism ('system' or 'doctrine'). In Catholic moral teaching it named the rule that you may follow any reputable opinion that has good 'probability' even if another seems more likely, so the word means following what is 'likely' enough when there is no certainty.