Group of official, authentic or approved rules or laws
The term canon derives from the Greek κανών (kanon), meaning "rule", and thence via Latin and Old French into English.[1] The concept in English usage is very broad: in a general sense it refers to being one (adjectival) or a group (noun) of official, authentic or approved rules or laws, particularly ecclesiastical; or group of official, authentic, or approved literary or artistic works, such as the literature of a particular author, of a particular genre, or a particular group of religious scriptural texts;[2] or similarly, one or a body of rules, principles, or standards accepted as axiomatic and universally binding in a religion, or a field of study or art.[3]
Examples
This principle of grouping has led to more specific uses of the word in different contexts, such as the Biblical canon (which a particular religious community regards as authoritative) and thence to literary canons (of a particular "body of literature in a particular language, or from a particular culture, period, genre").[1]
S. R. Ranganathan developed a theory of facet analysis, which he presented as a detailed series of 46 canons, 13 postulates and 22 principles.[5]
There is also the concept of the canons of rhetoric, including five key principles that, when grouped together, are the principles set for giving speeches.[6]
See also
Look up canon or canonical in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Der Kanon – Canon of exemplary German literature, chosen by Marcel Reich-Ranicki
Norm (philosophy): concepts (sentences) of practical import, oriented to effecting an action
Principle: rule that has to be followed or is an inevitable consequence of something, such as the laws observed in nature
Rule of inference: in logic, a logical form consisting of a function which takes premises, analyzes their syntax, and returns a conclusion (or conclusions)
Rhetoric: the art of persuasion. The five canons of rhetoric or phases of developing a persuasive speech were first codified in classical Rome: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery.
Western canon: the body of literature, music, philosophy, and works of art that is highly valued in Western culture
^"Canon". Collins English Dictionary. Glasgow: HarperCollins Publishers. 2019.
^"Canon". Dictionary.reference.com. Dictionary.com, LL. 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
^Sayers, W.C. (1915–1916). Canons of classification applied to "The subject", "The expansive", "The decimal" and "The Library of Congress" classifications: A study in bibliographical classification method. Lindon: Grafton.
