casuistical
Ethically splitting hairs
Casuistical describes reasoning that applies general moral principles to specific cases, often with excessive subtlety or clever but misleading distinctions.
The word usually carries a negative charge—suggesting arguments that are technically plausible but ethically slippery: His casuistical defense of the policy convinced no one.
The related noun is casuistry.
Ambiguous language avoiding commitment
- hair-splittingExcessive focus on trivialities
- quibblingPetty objection-raising
- speciousnessMisleading appearance of validity
- fallaciousContaining faulty reasoning
spurious · chicanery · evasion · rationalization · legalistic · loophole · technicality · caviling
Crafty and calculating
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
self-serving · expedient · convenient · slippery · wily · crafty · artful · insidious
Right and wrong principles
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
- scruplesMoral reservations about acting
- principlesFoundational moral beliefs
duty · obligation · sin · virtue · culpability · guilt · intention · circumstances
Dependent on circumstances
- contextualRelative to surrounding conditions
- particularSpecific or fussy
- precedentPrior authoritative example
- analogyExplanatory likeness between things
dialectic · syllogism · argumentation · inference · interpretation · judgment · analysis · deliberation
Inventing acceptable motives afterward
- excuseOffered reason for wrongdoing
- defenseProtection against harm
- extenuationPartial justification for fault
- mitigationReduction of severity
vindication · pretext · exculpation · apologetics · warranting · legitimization · self-justification · contextualization
equivocation
Ambiguous language avoiding commitment
- hair-splittingExcessive focus on trivialities
- quibblingPetty objection-raising
- speciousnessMisleading appearance of validity
fallacious · spurious · chicanery · evasion · rationalization · legalistic · loophole · technicality · caviling · obfuscation
scheming
Crafty and calculating
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- disingenuousFeigning ignorance or innocence
duplicitous · self-serving · expedient · convenient · slippery · wily · crafty · artful · insidious · underhanded
morality
Right and wrong principles
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
- scruplesMoral reservations about acting
principles · duty · obligation · sin · virtue · culpability · guilt · intention · circumstances · exceptions
situational
Dependent on circumstances
- contextualRelative to surrounding conditions
- particularSpecific or fussy
- precedentPrior authoritative example
analogy · dialectic · syllogism · argumentation · inference · interpretation · judgment · analysis · deliberation · discernment
rationalization
Inventing acceptable motives afterward
- excuseOffered reason for wrongdoing
- defenseProtection against harm
- extenuationPartial justification for fault
mitigation · vindication · pretext · exculpation · apologetics · warranting · legitimization · self-justification · contextualization
casuisticalprincipled
Having strong moral beliefs
straightforward · honest · scrupulous · forthright · above-board