Crossword Genius

Philosophy of returning praise is mocked at first (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dualism

'philosophy' is the definition.
(dualism is a kind of philosophy)

'returning praise is mocked at first' is the wordplay.
'returning' says the letters should be written backwards.
'praise' becomes 'laud' (lauding is a kind of praising**).
'at first' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'mocked' is 'm'.
'laud' written backwards gives 'dual'.
'dual'+'is'+'m'='DUALISM'

'of' is the link.

(Other definitions for dualism that I've seen before include "Division into two opposed aspects" , "Eg, what Yin and Yang represent" , "Belief in two basic entities" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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