eristic

American  

[e-ris-tik] / ɛˈrɪs tɪk /

adjective

1. Also eristical. pertaining to controversy or disputation; controversial.

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noun

1. a person who engages in disputation; controversialist.

2. the art of disputation.

eristic British  

/ ɛˈrɪstɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating, or given to controversy or logical disputation, esp for its own sake

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noun

1. a person who engages in logical disputes; a controversialist

2. the art or practice of logical disputation, esp if specious

Other Word Forms

• eristically adverb

Etymology

Origin of eristic

1630–40; < Greek eristikós, equivalent to erist ( ós ) (verbid of erízein, derivative of éris discord) + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

What eristic discipline they brought to their sciolistic quibbles, though prone to occasional bursts of rodomontade!

From Washington Post

He forms the connecting link between the first great sophists, Protagoras and Prodicus, and the innumerable eristics who brought their name into disrepute.

From Project Gutenberg

He fought the combat syllogistic With so much skill and art eristic, That though you were the learned Stagyrite, At once upon the hip he had you right.

From Project Gutenberg

Or it lapses into "eristic"—into an argument for its own sake; or sinks into logomachy, a mere dispute about words.

From Project Gutenberg

To know how to proceed by regular steps from one to many, and from many to one, is just what makes the difference between eristic and dialectic.

From Project Gutenberg