Saturday, April 16, 2011

Cave Canem: A few Latin phrases #1

a priori - from what was before.
Commonly used in a legal sense. This denotes something known previously. In the arena of logic, it describes something which is obvious or self evident.

ad absurdum - to the point of absurdity
A shortened version of reductio ad absurdum. "Reduced to the point of absurdity." Used in the context of argument, where one takes a clsim to its most extreme and ridiculous conclusion in an attempt to prove the claim itself to be false.

Bibliography
Cave Canem: A Miscellany of Latin Words and Phrases, by Lorna Robinson

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