Difference between revisions of "Devil's advocate"
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Revision as of 04:19, January 4, 2008
A Devil's advocate (in Latin, Advocatus diaboli) is a person who takes a position for the sake of argument, rather than out of conviction.
Originally, devil's advocates were appointed by the Roman Catholic Church to argue against the canonization of individuals [1]. The post was abolished by Pope John Paul II, allowing him to create and beatify an unprecented number of saints during his pontiffship.
A fictional example of a devils advocate is Panurge in Francois Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel[2], who argues (among other things) that it is good for him to remain in debt, it being better to give than to receive, allowing his creditors to gain merit thereby; moreover, his creditors pray for his continued well-being; moreover, that the very fabric of the Universe is held together by a cement of debt, etc.
References
- ↑ http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01168b.htm
- ↑ http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1200 Text of Gargantua and Pantagruel at Project Gutenberg.