The quality of being defensible by sound reasons or evidence.
Reach for it when evaluating whether an action or claim can be reasonably defended
The closure's justifiability depended on evidence of immediate structural risk.
| everyday | |
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| professional | |
| formal |
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| literary |
everyday
Fits when a proposal deserves serious consideration
Careful Merit can be partial and need not make the final action defensible.
professional
defensibility
Fits when an argument can withstand informed challenge
Careful Defensibility may concern strategy or litigation without moral justification.
professional
Fits when authority or acceptance rests on valid grounds
Careful Legitimacy can come from procedure even when the outcome is poorly justified.
formal
reasonableness
Fits when the position falls within what fair judgment permits
Careful Reasonableness is a lower bar and does not require affirmative justification.
formal
Fits when logic or evidence supports the claim
Careful Validity is technical and may ignore ethical consequences.
literary
warrant
Fits when sufficient grounds exist for a belief or action
Careful Warrant names the grounds, not the quality of being justifiable.
moral justifiability
The panel questioned the moral justifiability of shifting the risk to tenants.
legal justifiability
Legal justifiability required a narrower reading of the emergency power.
justifiability of the decision
The justifiability of the decision rested on evidence available at the time.
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