doctrine, doctryne

[Fr., from Lat. doc trin a =instruction, learning, from doceo to teach; Port. doutrina; Ital. dottrina; Sp. doctrina. ] *I. Ordinary Language: 1. The act of teaching or instructing; instruction. "Of Bly yd Benyt to Johne the doctryne." Lydgate: Minor Poems, p. 257. 2. The act of learning. "I haue hit translated in myn engli h only for the doctrine."-Chaucer: Astrolabe , p. 2. *3. Learning, knowledge. "And they were astonished at his doctrine ."- Luke iv. 32. 4. That which is taught; a principle or position of any sect, master, or teacher. "That great principle in natural philosophy is the doc trine of gravitation, or mutual tendency of all bodies toward each other."- Watts : Improvement of the Mind, 5. The principles, tenets, or dogma of any party or sect. "This seditious, unconstitutional doctrine of electing kings is now publicly taught, avowed, and printed."Burke. II. Relig.: The principles and revealed truths which form the basis of the system. Doctrine of Chances : The for mule by which probabilities are calculated; the doctrine of probabilities. Where the number of chances for and against are known, the reasonable odds in favor of an event are calculated by the formation of a fraction whose numerator is the number of chances for its happening and its denominator the sum of the chances both for and against. Thus, if there are 3 chances for, and 5 against, the odds will be represented by the fraction %, and that fraction of the stake should be offered as a wager. (1) Crabb thus discriminates between doctrine , precept , and principle : "The doctrine requires a teacher; the precept requires a superior with authority: the principle requires only an illustrator. The doctrine is always framed by some one; the precept is enjoined or laid down by some one; the principle lies in the thing itself. The doctrine is composed of principles ; the precept rests upon principles or doctrines . Pythagoras taught the doctrine of the metempsychosis, and enjoined many precepts on his disciples for the regulation of their conduct. We are said to believe in doctrines ; to obey precepts ; to imbibe or hold principles . The doctrine is that which constitutes our faith; the doddart the dogmas of the Roman Church are admitted by none but such as admit its authority; the tenets of republicans, levelers, and freethinkers have been unblushingly maintained both in public and private." (Crabb: Eng. Synon.)