doctrines
Established religious principles
Doctrines is the plural of doctrine—a set of beliefs or principles held and taught by a religious, political, or other group.
Religious doctrines form the core teachings of a faith: Catholic doctrine on the sacraments.
Political doctrines guide policy: the Monroe Doctrine, the doctrine of preemptive war.
Legal doctrines are established principles courts apply: the doctrine of precedent.
Accepted starting principles
- tenetsFoundational beliefs of doctrine
- preceptsRules of conduct
- fundamentalsCore elements of something
- canonsEstablished authoritative standards
maxims · dictums · credos · convictions · beliefs · teachings · commandments · edicts
Statement of belief
- dogmaUnchallengeable official beliefs
- catechismReligious teaching guide
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- theologyStudy of the divine
canon · tenets · heresy · apostolic · encyclical · ecclesiastical · schism · infallibility
Philosophy of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
empiricism · existentialism · phenomenology · deontology · utilitarianism · stoicism · dualism · determinism
Private profit-based economy
- socialismCommunal economic control
- nationalismDevotion to one's country
- liberalismPhilosophy valuing reform, tolerance
- conservatismPreference for existing institutions
anarchism · totalitarianism · libertarianism · communism · fascism · authoritarianism · progressivism · isolationism
Prior authoritative example
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
- constitutionalismGovernance bound by fundamental laws
- originalismInterpreting by founding-era meaning
- natural lawInherent moral principles
due process · habeas corpus · sovereignty · separation of powers · rule of law · incorporation · preemption · nullification
axioms
Accepted starting principles
- tenetsFoundational beliefs of doctrine
- preceptsRules of conduct
- fundamentalsCore elements of something
canons · maxims · dictums · credos · convictions · beliefs · teachings · commandments · edicts · mandates
creed
Statement of belief
- dogmaUnchallengeable official beliefs
- catechismReligious teaching guide
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
theology · canon · tenets · heresy · apostolic · encyclical · ecclesiastical · schism · infallibility · excommunication
metaphysics
Philosophy of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
rationalism · empiricism · existentialism · phenomenology · deontology · utilitarianism · stoicism · dualism · determinism · relativism
capitalism
Private profit-based economy
- socialismCommunal economic control
- nationalismDevotion to one's country
- liberalismPhilosophy valuing reform, tolerance
conservatism · anarchism · totalitarianism · libertarianism · communism · fascism · authoritarianism · progressivism · isolationism · imperialism
precedent
Prior authoritative example
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
- constitutionalismGovernance bound by fundamental laws
- originalismInterpreting by founding-era meaning
natural law · due process · habeas corpus · sovereignty · separation of powers · rule of law · incorporation · preemption · nullification · fair use
- church historychurch history, apostles, Protestant Reformation, Christian history, baptism
- CatholicismVatican, cardinals, pope, Holy Communion, popes
- religionChristianity, Islam, beliefs, Judaism, Hinduism
- beliefsbelief, beliefs, creed, creeds, faith
- folk wisdomproverb, folklore, folk sayings, saying, proverbs
- normsnorm, norms, standard, social norms, rule
doctrinesambiguities
Multiple possible meanings
uncertainties · doubts · questions · hypotheses · vagueness
doctrineshunches
Intuitive suspicions
intuitions · gut feelings · whims · fancies
doctrinesopen-mindedness
Acceptance of differing viewpoints
flexibility · pragmatism · eclecticism · freethinking · heterodoxy
- secret doctrineHidden spiritual teaching
- religious doctrineOfficial spiritual teaching
- church doctrineOfficial religious beliefs
- Monroe DoctrineAnti-colonial foreign policy stance
- castle doctrineRight to defend home forcefully
- Bush DoctrinePost-9/11 foreign policy stance
doctrine, doctrinaire, indoctrinate, doctrinal, indoctrination, indoctrinated, doctrinally, indoctrinator, indoctrinators