**Advanced Glossary: Anti-Intellectualism**
**Theoretical & Conceptual Terms**
* **Epistemology (n.):** The theory of knowledge, especially regarding its methods, validity, and scope. It examines the very nature of how we know what we know, which is central to debates on intellectual authority.
* **Hermeneutics (n.):** The theory and methodology of interpretation, often of texts. Relevant to how different audiences interpret information based on their pre-existing beliefs.
* **Hegemony (n.):** The political, cultural, or economic dominance or authority of one group over others. Often used to discuss the hegemony of scientific discourse or the pushback against it.
* **Positivism (n.):** A philosophical system recognizing only that which can be scientifically verified or which is capable of logical or mathematical proof. Often a target for anti-rationalist critiques.
* **Post-Truth (adj.):** Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.
* **Dialectic (n.):** A method of discussion between two or more people holding different points of view about a subject, who wish to establish the truth through reasoned argumentation.
* **Pragmatism (n.):** A philosophy that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application. Often contrasted with idealism or intellectualism for its sole focus on utility.
**Nouns: Phenomena & Constructs**
* **Demagoguery (n.):** Political activity or practices that seek support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument.
* **Sophistry (n.):** The use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving.
* **Cacophony (n.):** A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds; often used metaphorically to describe the chaotic nature of modern information ecosystems.
* **Dichotomy (n.):** A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different (e.g., the false dichotomy between "theory" and "practice").
* **A priori (adj./adv.):** Relating to or denoting reasoning or knowledge that proceeds from theoretical deduction rather than from observation or experience.
* **A posteriori (adj./adv.):** Relating to or denoting reasoning or knowledge that proceeds from observations or experiences to the deduction of probable causes.
**Adjectives: Descriptive & Critical**
* **Pejorative (adj.):** Expressing contempt or disapproval. Describes the tone often used in anti-intellectual rhetoric (e.g., "elitist" used as a pejorative term).
* **Specious (adj.):** Superficially plausible, but actually wrong. A misleading argument that seems to be logical.
* **Dogmatic (adj.):** Inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true, without consideration of evidence or the opinions of others. Can apply to both rigid intellectual systems and anti-intellectual beliefs.
* **Reactionary (adj.):** Opposing political or social progress or reform. Can describe a stance that reacts against intellectual or cultural advancement.
* **Esoteric (adj.):** Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge. Often used to dismiss complex ideas as unnecessarily obscure.
**Verbs: Processes & Actions**
* **To Reify (v.):** To make something abstract more concrete or real. Often a critique of turning complex ideas into simplistic, misunderstood concepts.
* To **Obfuscate** (v.): To render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible. A tactic used to confuse issues and avoid rational scrutiny.
* To **Gainsay** (v.): To deny or contradict (a fact or statement). A formal term for rejecting established evidence.
* To **Appropriate** (v.): To take something for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission. Can refer to the misappropriation of scientific terms for non-scientific purposes.
**Key Phrases & Idioms**
* **Appeal to common sense:** A rhetorical strategy that invokes folksy wisdom as a superior alternative to expert knowledge.
* **Credibility deficit:** A lack of trust or perceived legitimacy in established institutions or figures of authority.
* **Crisis of expertise:** The phenomenon where the authority of experts is increasingly challenged in public discourse.
* **Epistemic closure:** A state where a group's internal discourse fails to consider outside evidence or viewpoints, becoming intellectually isolated.
* **Locus of authority:** The specific place or entity from which authority is believed to originate (e.g., the people vs. academic institutions).
* **Discursive practices:** The ways in which language is used in specific social contexts to construct meaning and power relationships.
