Casuistry, derived from the Latin casus meaning “case,” is an inductive method of moral deliberation that uses previously settled (or resolved) truth-bearing cases drawn from a case taxonomy in a back-and-forth fashion according to fit. Its objective is the determination of the best overall course of action in a particular and immediate situation.
Casuistry as a Method
As a method, casuistry has descriptive and normative qualities. On the one hand, it describes the circumstances, motives, behaviors, and values that people use in moral arguments. On the other hand, it provides a normative framework for making moral judgments. From this perspective, users are provided with a framework of ordered cases (a case taxonomy) in which moral judgments have already been rendered. This order is such that each case is placed in a hierarchy according to its ability to convey moral certitude. At the foundation are paradigm cases that convey unambiguous moral certitude. Those that are more ambiguous...
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Calkins, M. (2017). Casuistry in Public Organizations. In: Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_2249-1
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