Someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious.

synonym: sophist.

Roget 476: reasoning ratiocination rationalism; dialectics, induction, generalization.    discussion, comment; ventilation; inquiry etc. 461.    argumentation, controversy, debate; polemics, wrangling; contention etc. 720; logomachy^†; disputation, disceptation^†; paper war.    art of reasoning, logic.    process of reasoning, train of reasoning, chain of reasoning; deduction, induction, abduction; synthesis, analysis.    argument; case, plaidoyer^†, opening; lemma, proposition, terms, premises, postulate, data, starting point, principle; inference etc. (judgment) 480.    prosyllogism^†, syllogism; enthymeme^†, sorites^†, dilemma, perilepsis^†, a priori reasoning, reductio ad absurdum, horns of a dilemma, argumentum ad hominem [Lat.], comprehensive argument; empirema^†, epagoge^†.    [person who reasons] reasoner, logician, dialectician; disputant; controversialist, controvertist^†; wrangler, arguer, debater polemic, casuist, rationalist; scientist; eristic^†.    logical sequence; good case; correct just reasoning, sound reasoning, valid reasoning, cogent reasoning, logical reasoning, forcible reasoning, persuasive reasoning, persuasory reasoning^†, consectary reasoning^†, conclusive etc. 478; subtle reasoning; force of argument, strong point, strong argument, persuasive argument.    arguments, reasons, pros and cons.    ... show more