1. (n.) 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.

2. (n.) Hence, an impostor in argument; a captious or fallacious reasoner.

Jesuit casuist choplogic cosmologist dialectician logicaster logician logistician metaphysician paralogist philosophaster philosophe philosopher philosophizer ratiocinator rationalist rationalizer reasoner sophister speculator syllogist syllogizer thinker