Words describing the pat acceptance of a thought or practice simply because "that's how it's done."


I believe that several words or phrases exist to describe the practice of thinking in a certain way or performing a certain action simply because "that's how it's always been done." Another way of phrasing this thought model is "We do this because it's best," with no proof of if that thing is in actuality the best. An absence of total failure or complete disaster is often given as support for the behavior. Also, the implied circular reasoning is "It's best because we do this." Ultimately, the actions are taken because the situation has never truly been studied and the best course of action has not yet been discovered.


I'm curious if there are



  1. Words to describe a person who thinks or behaves in the manner above.

  2. Phrases to describe the general thought process of the above manner.


Synonyms


I'll offer up my own phrase (that I only just now recalled as I typed the above paragraph):



Antonyms


Some possible antonyms to this concept would be:



  • Empirical / Empiricist

  • Didactic (Intended to teach as opposed to the above thought "intended to be a conformed to without thought")

  • Deductive (based on deduced premises)



Answer



While your question and its focus is slightly different from previous questions 28866 and 51451, some of the answers to those questions apply here. I'll mention those below, but first here are some words that were not mentioned in the previous answers: ovine, staid, stodgy, complacent, traditional.



  • ovine - Of, pertaining to, resembling, or being a sheep.

  • staid - Always fixed in the same location; stationary; composed, regular, sedate, steady

  • stodgy - dull, old-fashioned

  • traditional - Observant of tradition; attached to old customs; old-fashioned.
    [also see conventional, customary, establishment, orthodox]

  • complacent -
    Uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's achievements; smug
    Apathetic with regard to an apparent need or problem.


For question 1 regarding "words to describe a person who thinks or behaves" in a "that's how it's done" manner, answers to question 28866 mention close-minded, obstinate, dogmatic, narrow-minded, incurious, uninterested, uninquiring, uninquisitive, indifferent, parochial, provincial, Luddites, willfully ignorant, stick in the mud, philistine, stubborn, old dog, unteachable, ignoramus. It also mentions one of Monica's suggestions, hidebound. Answers to question 51451 mention some of the same, plus blinkered, obsessed, tunnel vision, locked-in, myopic, navel-gazer, self-centered, ostrich.


Several of the words mentioned above, indeed probably most of them, can apply to question 2 as well. But it's difficult to come up with phrases without knowing more about rationales; whether fear of the unknown, fear of schedule problems, self-knowledge of one's abilities or of co-workers' abilities, stupidity, brilliance, ... the scope is so wide open that that part of your question may not be answerable.


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