Eristic

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to a debate style that seeks victory through controversy instead of truth
2. Characterizing argumentative tactics that prioritize winning disputes over honest dialogue
3. Pertaining to a form of argumentation that emphasizes winning through contentious debate rather than the pursuit of truth

Etymology: The Greek goddess Eris was the personification of discord, and her name lies behind this word. In ancient Greek, "eristikos" meant "eager for strife," describing someone who relished quarrels for their own sake. English borrowed the term from that Greek adjective, so its core sense has stayed close to the original: a quarrelsome temperament, now applied to argument itself. The word's modern meaning narrows that idea to a particular style of debate. An eristic argument is one aimed at defeating an opponent, scoring points and winning the exchange, rather than at finding out what is true. Philosophers have long contrasted this approach with dialectic, the cooperative search for truth through questioning, which is why the word tends to appear in discussions of how people argue.

Synonyms: disputatious, argumentative, controversial

Antonyms: peaceful, conciliatory, harmonious