Endoxa

Endoxa () is the plural of "endoxon", deriving from the word "doxa" (δόξα, meaning "Belief", "opinion"). Plato referred to "doxa" as the level of apprehension attained when a mind's activity is directed to "ta onta" or "things" and that the process is independent of perception. Whereas Plato condemned "doxa" as a starting point from which to attain truth, Aristotle used the term "endoxa"in the sense of "commonplace", "everyday", "consensus"to identify a group or population's beliefs that had previously withstood debate and argument (and were, thereby, more stable than "doxa").
In Aristotle's conceptualization, "endoxa" are opinions that one can agree with after a careful examination of arguments both for and against it, with the former emerging stronger. In the philosopher's explanation of the term in "Topics" I.1, "endoxa" was described as having five types: 1) the views of everyone; 2) the views of the preponderant majority; 3) the views of the recognized experts; 4) the views of all the experts; and, 5) the views of the most famous. It is said that endoxa may be plausible but this does not mean that they are true.
Aside from those found in the "Topics" of the "Organon," examples of Aristotle's use of "endoxa" may also be found in his "Rhetoric". Otfried Höffe, translated by Christine Salazar, offers a detailed discussion of the topic in "Aristotle" (2003; ).