epikeia

English

Alternative forms

• epieikeia

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐπιείκεια (epieíkeia, “reasonableness”).

Noun

epikeia (uncountable)

1. (philosophy, theology) The principle in ethics that a law can be broken to achieve a greater good.

References

• 'epikeia', in 'Catholic Almanac', b Felician A. Foy, St. Anthony's Guild, Rose M. Avato, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1995.
• epikeia