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Sophist vs Nihilist - What's the difference?

sophist | nihilist |

As nouns the difference between sophist and nihilist

is that sophist is one of a class of teachers of rhetoric, philosophy, and politics in ancient Greece while nihilist is a person who accepts or champions nihilism.

sophist

Noun

(en noun)
  • One of a class of teachers of rhetoric, philosophy, and politics in ancient Greece.
  • A teacher who used plausible but fallacious reasoning.
  • One who is captious, fallacious, or deceptive in argument.
  • Usage notes

    * The meaning of "sophist" can vary depending on the time period to which one is referring. A sophist of the earliest period was a master in his art or craft who demonstrated (taught by example) his practical skill/learning in exchange for pay. Later sophists were providers of a well-rounded education intended to give pupils arete'' – "virtue, human excellence". By late antiquity, ''sophist?s'' / ''sophistes'' tended to denote exclusively a skilled public speaker and/or teacher of rhetoric.''Dictionary of Philosophy'', (ed.), Philosophical Library, 1962. ''See:'' "Sophists" by Max Fishler, p. 295." History of the name ‘Sophist’," ''Encyclopedia Britannica'' at ''www.britannica.com .

    Synonyms

    * logic chopper

    References

    nihilist

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (philosophy, religion) A person who accepts or champions nihilism.
  • An absolute skeptic; a person who believes in the truth of nothing.
  • Alternative forms

    * (Bosnian, Serbian ):

    Noun

  • Declension

    {{sh-decl-noun , nihilist, nihilisti , nihilista, nihilista , nihilistu, nihilistima , nihilista, nihiliste , nihiliste, nihilisti , nihilistu, nihilistima , nihilistom, nihilistima }}