Ad hoc is a
Latin phrase
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This is a list of Wikipedia articles of Latin phrases and their translation into English.
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meaning literally 'to this'. In English, it typically signifies a solution for a specific purpose, problem, or task rather than a
generalized solution adaptable to collateral instances. (Compare with ''
a priori''.)
Common examples are ad hoc
committees and commissions created at the national or international level for a specific task. In other fields, the term could refer to, for example, a military unit created under special circumstances (see ''
task force''), a handcrafted
network protocol (e.g.,
ad hoc network), a temporary banding together of geographically-linked franchise locations (of a given national brand) to issue advertising coupons, or a purpose-specific
equation
In mathematics, an equation is a formula that expresses the equality of two expressions, by connecting them with the equals sign . The word ''equation'' and its cognates in other languages may have subtly different meanings; for example, in ...
.
Ad hoc can also be an adjective describing the temporary, provisional, or improvised methods to deal with a particular problem, the tendency of which has given rise to the noun ''adhocism''.
Styling
Style guides disagree on whether Latin phrases like ad hoc should be italicized. The trend is not to use italics. For example, ''
The Chicago Manual of Style'' recommends that familiar Latin phrases that are listed in the ''
Webster's Dictionary'', including "ad hoc", not be italicized.
Hypothesis
In
science and
philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
, ad hoc means the addition of extraneous
hypotheses
A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous obser ...
to a
theory to save it from being
falsified. Ad hoc hypotheses compensate for anomalies not anticipated by the theory in its unmodified form.
Scientists are often
skeptical of
scientific theories that rely on frequent, unsupported adjustments to sustain them. Ad hoc hypotheses are often characteristic of
pseudo-scientific subjects such as
homeopathy
Homeopathy or homoeopathy is a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine. It was conceived in 1796 by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. Its practitioners, called homeopaths, believe that a substance that causes symptoms of a dis ...
.
In the military

In the military, ad hoc units are created during unpredictable situations, when the cooperation between different units is suddenly needed for fast action, or from remnants of previous units which have been overrun or otherwise whittled down.
In governance
In national and sub-national governance, ad hoc bodies may be established to deal with specific problems not easily accommodated by the current structure of governance or to address multi-faceted issues spanning several areas of governance. In the UK and other
commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
countries, ad hoc
Royal Commissions
may be set up to address specific questions as directed by parliament.
Networking
The term ''ad hoc networking'' typically refers to a system of network elements that combine to form a network requiring little or no planning.
See also
*
Ad hoc testing
* ''
Ad infinitum''
* ''
Ad libitum''
*
Adhocracy
Adhocracy is a flexible, adaptable and informal form of organization that is defined by a lack of formal structure that employs specialized multidisciplinary teams grouped by functions. It operates in an opposite fashion to a bureaucracy. The ter ...
*
Democracy
*
House rule
*
Russell's teapot
*
Inductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning is a method of reasoning in which a general principle is derived from a body of observations. It consists of making broad generalizations based on specific observations. Inductive reasoning is distinct from ''deductive'' re ...
*
Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one's prior beliefs or values. People display this bias when they select information that supports their views, ignoring ...
*
Cherry picking
Cherry picking, suppressing evidence, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence is the act of pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position while ignoring a significant portion of related and similar cases or data th ...
References
Further reading
*
External links
* {{Wiktionary-inline, ad hoc, ad hoc
Latin words and phrases