unphilosophicaladj.n.
/(ˌ)ʌnˌfɪləˈsɒfᵻkl/, U.S. /ˌənˌfɪləˈsɑfək(ə)l/ A. adj.
Not philosophical; esp. not following, demonstrating, or based on a philosophical approach or philosophical principles. Formerly also: having no basis in natural philosophy, unscientific.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > [adjective] > unscientific
unphilosophical1647
unphilosophic1680
unscientific1813
unphysical1874
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > common sense > [adjective] > characterized by sense > not
unphilosophical1847
off or out of balance1881
1647 J. Trapp Mellificium Theol. in Comm. Epist. & Rev. 714 But his practice was most unphilosophicall.
1649 J. Milton Εικονοκλαστης vi. 57 Straining her wise dictates to un-philosophicall purposes.
1656 A. Cowley Davideis i. 26 (note) in Poems One of the most unphilosophical opinions in all Aristotle.
1696 J. Edwards Demonstr. Existence God i. ii. 31 This is Unphilosophical, and therefore we may justly look upon the Argument drawn from it as so too.
?1768–9 Encycl. Brit. (1771) I. 652/1 The very supposition..must be unphilosophical, whimsical, and absurd.
1847 A. Helps Friends in Council I. i. i. 5 A man more fierce and unphilosophical in the pursuit of it I never saw.
1862 E. M. Goulburn Educ. World 30 Surely this statement is both unphilosophical and unscriptural.
1943 A. Rand Fountainhead iv. vii. 614 That's an unphilosophical statement.
2009 Church Times 3 July 20/3 Jesus, however, was not a systematic thinker but an aphorist and a story-teller.., and to that extent apparently unphilosophical by temperament.
B. n.
With plural agreement. With the. Unphilosophical people considered collectively or as a type.
ΚΠ
1733 P. Shaw in tr. F. Bacon Philos. Wks. III. 30 (note) This must appear a strange Enquiry to the unphilosophical.
1830 Edinb. Lit. Jrnl. 3 July 7/1 The unphilosophical are less scrupulous in the choice of their terms.
1877 F. H. Laing Ld. Bacon's ‘Philosophy’ Examined 15 The minds of the unphilosophical.
1972 L. Gilhooley Contradict. & Dilemma iv. 95 Religion could only be for the unphilosophical.
2010 M. Dummett Nature & Future of Philos. xv. 140 This theory—which the unphilosophical will not call a ‘theory’ but just an obvious fact.
Derivatives
unphiloˈsophicalness n. the lack of a philosophical basis.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > [noun] > in matters intellectual
unphilosophicalness1687
laxity1795
laxness1841
1687 J. Norris Coll. Misc. 216 The unphilosophicalness of this their Hypothesis.
1780 E. Griffith in O. Goldsmith et al. Novellettes for Young Ladies & Gentlemen 243 Common conversation does not admit of exposing the absurdity and unphilosophicalness of such an idea.
1853 Brit. Banner 21 Sept. 683/3 You detect in productions coming forth with the high sounding titles of the philosophy of religion, the irreligiousness of the philosophy, and the unphilosophicalness of the religion.
1990 R. W. Paul in B. F. Jones & L. Idol Dimensions of Thinking & Cognitive Instr. xiv. 447 This kind of intra-system thinking can be skilled, but because of its unphilosophicalness, it lacks foundational self-command.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.n.1647