casuist

From French casuiste, from Spanish casuista, from Latin casus (“case”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæzjuːɪst/
• (yod-coalescence) IPA^(key): /ˈkæʒuːɪst/

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casuist (plural casuists)

1. (ethics) A person who resolves cases of conscience or moral duty.
2. Someone who attempts to specify exact and precise rules for the direction of every circumstance of behaviour.
   • 1761, Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, 2nd edition, London: A Millar, ; Edinburgh: A[lexander] Kincaid and J. Bell, →OCLC, part VI, section IV (Of the Manner in which Different Authors have Treated of the Practical Rules of Morality), page 433:

     Something, indeed, not unlike the doctrine of the caſuiſts, ſeems to have been attempted by ſeveral philoſophers. There is ſomething of this kind in the third book of Cicero's offices, where he endeavours like a caſuiſt to give rules for our conduct in many nice caſes, in which it is difficult to determine whereabouts the point of propriety may lie.

3. One who is skilled in, or given to, casuistry.
   • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:

     The judgment of any casuist or learned divine concerning the state of a man's soul, is not sufficient to give him confidence.

   • 1980 December 13, Ray Olson, “Short Sighted And Silly”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 21, page 4:

     Leave the two-party farce to those who enjoy it, supporting their efforts when — and only when — they treat others humanely and speak with modesty and responsibility, not as casuists, alarmists, and provocateurs of guilt.

• “casuist”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “casuist”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “casuist”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.