kategorik

Kategorik is a Turkish adjective meaning related to category, absolute, or unconditional. The term derives from the French catéorique (and ultimately from Latin categoricus), reflecting its historical roots in philosophy and logic. In modern Turkish, it is used across disciplines to describe things that are definitive, universal, or not dependent on conditions.

In philosophy, kategorik is most closely associated with Kant’s concept of the categorical imperative, an unconditional moral law that applies universally regardless of personal desires or circumstances. In Turkish academic writing, this sense is often rendered as kategorik imperatif, emphasizing universality and necessity rather than situational considerations.

In logic and traditional syllogistic, kategorik refers to categorical propositions and syllogisms. Kategorik önermeler express relations such as all S are P, no S are P, some S are P, or some S are not P. These propositions are organized into syllogisms based on middle terms and established rules of validity.

In statistics and data science, kategorik veri or kategorik değişken denotes data that take discrete categories, typically without a natural numeric order. Examples include color, brand, or gender. This is contrasted with sayısal or nümerik veriler, which are quantitative and measured on numerical scales. Kategorik data are analyzed using frequency counts, mode, chi-square tests, and non-parametric methods, depending on whether the categories are nominal or ordinal.

Other uses include phrases like kategorik reddetme (categorical refusal) or konuşmada kategorik ifadeler (categorical statements), where the sense emphasizes definiteness or non-negotiability. Overall, kategorik is a versatile term reflecting definiteness, universality, and categorization across disciplines.