intellectual concession
[/ɪn.təˈlɛk.tʃu.əl kənˈsɛʃ.ən/]
nounpl: intellectual concessions
concessão intelectual
1. An acknowledgment or acceptance of a point made by another person in an argument or debate, often made reluctantly or strategically while maintaining one's overall position
The senator made an intellectual concession on the environmental data while still opposing the overall bill.
O senador fez uma concessão intelectual sobre os dados ambientais, mas continuou se opondo ao projeto de lei geral.
2. A compromise in reasoning or philosophical stance where one admits the validity of an opponent's argument on a specific point without fully abandoning one's original thesis
In his rebuttal, the professor made several intellectual concessions regarding the methodology while disputing the conclusions.
Em sua tréplica, o professor fez várias concessões intelectuais em relação à metodologia, enquanto contestava as conclusões.
3. The act of yielding on an ideological or theoretical matter as a tactical move in discourse or negotiation
Making intellectual concessions does not necessarily mean losing the debate.
Fazer concessões intelectuais não significa necessariamente perder o debate.
This term is commonly used in academic, political, and legal debates in both Brazil and the United States. In Brazilian intellectual culture, making intellectual concessions is often viewed as a sign of intellectual honesty and sophistication, particularly in university settings and formal debates. In American discourse, it's frequently employed in legal arguments, policy debates, and academic writing as a rhetorical strategy to strengthen one's overall position by demonstrating objectivity.
Related Idioms & Phrases
to make/grant an intellectual concession
intellectual concessions for the sake of argument
strategic intellectual concession
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