Devil's Advocate
In the old process of canonization by the Roman Catholic Church, the Devil's Advocate was a prosecutor appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate. In Latin, the title, which is unofficial, is ADVOCATVS DIABOLI, which would perhaps be more accurately translated into English by the phrase the Devil's lawyer. The official title is Fidei Defensor, Latin for Defender of the Faith.
Since then, the term come to mean anyone who argues a position that he does not believe in, simply for the sake of arguing.
The Devil's Advocate was also a 1997 film starring Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino.
Referenced By
Consensus decision-making | Consensus decision making
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