scholasticism

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

Scholasticism
    n 1: the system of philosophy dominant in medieval Europe; based
         on Aristotle and the Church Fathers
    2: orthodoxy of a scholastic variety [syn: {scholasticism},
       {academicism}, {academism}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Scholasticism \Scho*las"ti*cism\, n.
   The method or subtilties of the schools of philosophy;
   scholastic formality; scholastic doctrines or philosophy.
   [1913 Webster]

         The spirit of the old scholasticism . . . spurned
         laborious investigation and slow induction. --J. P.
                                                  Smith.
   [1913 Webster]