| Some personal and shared stuff | Sunday, 19 May 2024 - 5:15 |
Some debates seem to explode into mindless arguments where nobody is willing to even try and see eye to eye. To avoid wasting your time with these kinds of debates, here are some red flags to keep an eye out for, and how you might be able to salvage the discussion before backing out. Read more »
Winning isn’t everything, but it sure is nice. When you don’t see eye to eye with someone, here are the best tricks for winning that argument.
“Straw man arguments” are utilized in debates to undermine the opposition. If you want to take the high road–and debate more effectively in the process–utilize the “steel man” argument.
Contrary to some common misinterpretations, a straw man is employed when one side on an argument creates a false narrative and then argues with that, instead of the point a person actually made. “I think the iPhone is actually okay” turns into “Android sux” and discussion falls apart.
The “steel man” is the opposite approach. Read more »
Information is knowledge, and knowledge is power. If you want someone to rally to your cause, support your position, or put you in a position of authority, you need to be able to back up your positions and sway others from theirs. The trouble is, not every point has supporting data, and not every opinion is swayed by facts. That doesn’t have to slow you down though. Here’s how to find data to support any point, even the ones you disagree with, so you can better inform your own.
The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments
Friedrich Nietzsche
