categorical
Leaving no doubt
Categorical means absolute and unqualified, without exceptions or conditions: a categorical denial, categorical rejection of the proposal.
The word implies no ambiguity or room for interpretation—a categorical statement leaves nothing open to debate.
In philosophy and logic, categorical relates to categories or classifications, as in Kant's categorical imperative or categorical syllogisms.
Without limits or qualifications
- unqualifiedLacking required credentials
- unequivocalAllowing one meaning only
- definitiveSettling a question finally
- explicitClearly and directly expressed
clear-cut · unambiguous · decisive · conclusive · emphatic · outright · positive · certain
Science of categorical arrangement
- typologyClassification by shared traits
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- genusTaxonomic rank above species
species · phylum · order · family · kingdom · domain · clade · rank
Unavoidably necessary
- KantGerman Enlightenment thinker
- moralConcerning right conduct
- dutyRequired moral task
- obligationRequired task or commitment
deontological · a priori · universal · maxim · ethics · reason · principle · unconditional
unconditional
Without limits or qualifications
- unqualifiedLacking required credentials
- unequivocalAllowing one meaning only
- definitiveSettling a question finally
explicit · clear-cut · unambiguous · decisive · conclusive · emphatic · outright · positive · certain · determinate
taxonomy
Science of categorical arrangement
- typologyClassification by shared traits
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
genus · species · phylum · order · family · kingdom · domain · clade · rank · binomial
imperative
Unavoidably necessary
obligation · deontological · a priori · universal · maxim · ethics · reason · principle · unconditional · necessity
- classificationsclassified, hierarchical, class, unclassified, taxonomic
- certaintycertain, sure, uncertain, unsure, definite
- Absolutesabsolute, absolutely, all, always, complete
- organizing methodssorting, grouping, ranking, ordering, classifying
- sorting methodsalphabetical, chronological, sequential, numerical, ranking
- qualitativequalitative, descriptive, interpretive, subjective, observational
categoricalconditional
Dependent on prerequisites
contingent · hypothetical · relative · dependent · circumstantial
- categorical logicUnconditional deductive framework
- categorical imperativeUnconditional ethical obligation