Categorisch

Categorisch is an adjective used in Dutch and German, with the meaning of “categorical,” “absolute,” or “unconditional.” In German the form is kategoria? Actually, proper spelling is kategorisch; in Dutch it is categorisch. In English, the corresponding term is categorical. The word is derived from Latin categoricus, which in turn comes from Greek katêgorikos, related to katēgoria, meaning category or class.

In philosophy and logic, categorisch or categorical appears in several established concepts. A categorical proposition asserts a relation between a subject term and a predicate term without conditions (as in Aristotelian logic). The phrase “kategorischer Imperativ” or “categorical imperative” refers to Kant’s ethical principle: act only according to maxims that can be willed as universal laws. In more general philosophical usage, categorisch denotes claims or judgments that are asserted as unconditional.

In statistics and data analysis, categorisch denotes data or variables that take on discrete categories rather than numeric values. Categorical data can be nominal (no inherent order, such as color or country) or ordinal (order matters, such as rating scales). This is contrasted with quantitative data, which are measured on a numeric scale.

In everyday language, categorisch is used to describe statements, positions, or refusals that are absolute or definitive, often implying no exception or nuance. For example, een categorische afwijzing means a categorical rejection.

Overall, categorisch functions as a cross-language term tied to the idea of classification, absolute assertion, and non-normative categorization across philosophy, statistics, and everyday discourse.