infallibilism
Very LowFormal, Academic, Technical
Definition
Meaning
The doctrine or belief that a specific entity (often a person, institution, or knowledge system) is incapable of error or possesses absolute certainty.
A philosophical position, particularly within epistemology and theology, asserting that certain forms of knowledge (e.g., from divine revelation, foundational beliefs, or papal authority) are immune to error and cannot be mistaken.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in philosophical and theological discourse. Denotes a strong claim about certainty, often in contrast to fallibilism. The core semantic feature is immunity to error, not just high reliability.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or orthographic differences. Usage is identical and confined to specialist discourse in both regions.
Connotations
In theological contexts, often associated with Roman Catholic doctrine on papal infallibility. In philosophy, associated with debates about the foundations of knowledge and certainty.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general usage in both varieties. Slightly more frequent in British academic writing due to historical theological debates in the UK.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] espouses/advocates infallibilism.Infallibilism concerning [object of certainty] is debated.The debate between infallibilism and fallibilism.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in philosophy (epistemology, history of philosophy) and theology/philosophy of religion journals and texts.
Everyday
Not used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in specific epistemological debates distinguishing types of justification and certainty.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He argued we should infallibilise our basic beliefs. (rare/constructed)
American English
- The philosopher sought to infallibilize foundational claims. (rare/constructed)
adverb
British English
- He argued infallibilistically for the certainty of introspection. (highly technical)
American English
- The claim was interpreted infallibilistically by his critics. (highly technical)
adjective
British English
- The infallibilist position was rigorously defended in the thesis.
American English
- Her infallibilist stance on sensory data was controversial.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The philosopher rejected infallibilism, believing all human knowledge could be revised.
- Medieval debates often grappled with forms of epistemic infallibilism regarding divine revelation, contrasting it with the fallibility of sensory experience.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Link to 'infallible' (cannot fail) + '-ism' (belief system). Think: 'IN an argument, he FALLs on his belief in Ism – infallibilism, the belief in no falling into error.'
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/CERTAINTY IS A FORTRESS (impervious to error).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как "непогрешимость" (это 'infallibility'). 'Infallibilism' — это доктрина, учение о непогрешимости, т.е. "инфаллибилизм" (прямой заимствованный термин) или "доктрина непогрешимости".
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'infallibilism' (the doctrine) with 'infallibility' (the quality).
- Using it outside of academic/philosophical contexts.
- Misspelling as 'infallibilityism'.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'infallibilism' MOST commonly used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Infallibility' is the quality or state of being incapable of error. 'Infallibilism' is the philosophical or theological doctrine or belief that such a state exists for a particular entity or type of knowledge.
No, it is a minority position. Most contemporary epistemology is fallibilist, holding that knowledge claims, however justified, remain open to future revision or error.
The Roman Catholic doctrine of Papal Infallibility, defined in 1870, which holds that under specific conditions the Pope is preserved from error when defining doctrines on faith or morals.
Not directly. It is a technical term for a formal doctrine. However, in a loose, metaphorical sense, one might accuse a dogmatically arrogant person of 'behaving with infallibilism', though this is non-standard usage.