Editing Defer (section)

To '''defer''' is to [[trust]] someone else (an '''authority''') more than yourself on an issue.  It is a sign of [[integrity]] to sometimes trust someone else more than you in this way and to [[bet]] on their judgement over yours.  A [[TIPAESA]] structure explicitly defers to some authority in its last resort, e.g. by [[attribution]].  Knowing where we [[defer]] to others is the basis of [[command hierarchy]].

To [[refer]], by contrast, is to invoke [[knowledge]] (which might come with its own source and thus authority structure).  To [[infer]] is to invoke abstract [[reasoning]] methods.  Neither of these involve deferring to [[some body]].

Typically [[repute]] must be assigned by, or [[audit]]ed by, some authority.  A [[credit rating]] is the most obvious example.  Other examples such as the approval of candidates for a [[political party]] by its leader, or [[priestly hierarchy]], e.g. [[w:Vatican|Vatican]].