Endoxa

Endoxa (Greek: ἔνδοξα) is the plural of endoxon,[1] deriving from the word doxa (δόξα, meaning "Belief", "opinion"). Plato referred to doxa as the level of apprehension attained when a mind's activity is directed to ta onta or "things" and that the process is independent of perception.[2] Whereas Plato condemned doxa as a starting point from which to attain truth, Aristotle used the term endoxa – in the sense of "commonplace", "everyday", "consensus" – to identify a group or population's beliefs that had previously withstood debate and argument (and were, thereby, more stable than doxa).

In Aristotle's conceptualization, endoxa are opinions that one can agree with after a careful examination of arguments both for and against it, with the former emerging stronger.[3] In the philosopher's explanation of the term in Topics I.1, endoxa was described as having five types: 1) the views of everyone; 2) the views of the preponderant majority; 3) the views of the recognized experts; 4) the views of all the experts; and, 5) the views of the most famous.[4] It is said that while endoxa may be plausible but this does not mean that they are true.[3]

Aside from those found in the Topics[5] of the Organon, examples of Aristotle's use of endoxa may also be found in his Rhetoric.[6] Otfried Höffe, translated by Christine Salazar, offers a detailed discussion of the topic in "Aristotle" (2003; pp. 35–42).