Editing Casuistry (section)

{{Short description|Reasoning by extrapolation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
[[File:Le grand docteur sophiste, maistre Thubal Holoferne.jpg|thumb|''Le grand docteur sophiste'', 1886 illustration of [[Gargantua]] by [[Albert Robida]], expressing mockery of his casuist education]]

'''Casuistry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|zj|u|ᵻ|s|t|r|i}} {{respell|KAZ|ew|iss|tree}}) is a process of [[reasoning]] that seeks to resolve [[Ethical dilemma|moral problem]]s by extracting or extending abstract rules from a particular case, and reapplying those rules to new instances.<ref>{{cite web|title=Philosophy-Dictionary.org|url=http://www.philosophy-dictionary.org/casuistry|work=casuistry|access-date=7 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118123139/http://www.philosophy-dictionary.org/casuistry|archive-date=18 January 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> This method occurs in [[applied ethics]] and [[jurisprudence]]. The term is also used [[pejorative]]ly to criticise the use of clever but [[Soundness|unsound]] reasoning, especially in relation to [[ethical]] questions (as in [[sophistry]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DHI/dhi.cgi?id=dv1-35 |title=Casuistry |website=Dictionary of the History of Ideas |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618095059/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DHI/dhi.cgi?id=dv1-35 |archive-date=18 June 2006 |publisher=[[University of Virginia Library]]}}</ref> It has been defined as follows:

<blockquote>Study of cases of conscience and a method of solving conflicts of obligations by applying general principles of ethics, [[religion]], and [[moral theology]] to particular and concrete cases of human conduct. This frequently demands an extensive knowledge of [[natural law]] and [[Equity (law)|equity]], [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]], ecclesiastical precepts, and an exceptional skill in interpreting these various norms of conduct....<ref>{{cite book | first = J. J. | last = Rolbiecki | editor-last = Runes | editor-first = Dagobert D. | chapter = Casuistry | title = Dictionary of Philosophy | url = http://www.ditext.com/runes/c.html | date = 1942 | access-date = 26 October 2023 }}</ref> </blockquote>

It remains a common method in [[applied ethics]].<ref>{{cite web | first = Garth | last = Kemerling
| work = Philosophy Pages | url =  http://www.philosophypages.com/dy/c.htm#casu | title = Casuistry | date = 10 December 2011 | access-date = 26 October 2023}}</ref>