Hypertext Webster Gateway: "sophist"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sophist \Soph"ist\, n. [F. sophiste, L. sophistes, fr. Gr. ?.
See {Sophism}.]
1. One of a class of men who taught eloquence, philosophy,
and politics in ancient Greece; especially, one of those
who, by their fallacious but plausible reasoning, puzzled
inquirers after truth, weakened the faith of the people,
and drew upon themselves general hatred and contempt.
Many of the Sophists doubdtless card not for truth
or morality, and merely professed to teach how to
make the worse appear the better reason; but there
scems no reason to hold that they were a special
class, teaching special opinions; even Socrates and
Plato were sometimes styled Sophists. --Liddell &
Scott.
2. Hence, an impostor in argument; a captious or fallacious
reasoner.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
sophist
n : someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious [syn: {casuist}]
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