ironism

English

Etymology

Coined by American philosopher Richard Rorty, from Ancient Greek εἴρων (eírōn, “one who says less than they think”). By surface analysis, irony +‎ -ism.

Noun

ironism (uncountable)

1. (philosophy) A state of doubt regarding one's own "vocabulary" (set of communicative beliefs) that cannot be removed by making arguments in that vocabulary.
   • 2002, Keith Tester, The Life and Times of Post-Modernity, Routledge, →ISBN, page 149:

     Perhaps Rorty's pragmatics of liberal ironism is a better way of understanding the implication of the existence of disdained others on the post-modern.

Related terms

• ironist

Translations

state of doubt

• Italian: ironismo (it) m

Further reading

• ironism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia