How to Argue Well

[BidenPresident]

First, know when to engage. Arguments, Seo reminds us, are “easy to start and hard to end.” For a dispute to go well, it should be real, important and specific. You need to have a point to make, not just an emotional conflict or complaint to air. If someone has hurt you, figure out why; that becomes a real basis for argument.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/11/o...on-debate.html

[BidenPresident]

The idea that a debate is about winning or losing is a bad concept. Trying to win is pointless. This is why debate in high school is more like a football game where one is trying to defeat the opponent.

[McRocket]

What?!?

I can think of NO ONE on this board who throws around more ad hominem attacks than you do.

I think you should be taking your own advice...BIG TIME.

[BidenPresident]

What?!?

I can think of NO ONE on this board who throws around more ad hominem attacks than you do.

I think you should be taking your own advice...BIG TIME.

Get lost troll.

[McRocket]

Get lost troll.

Thank you for proving my point...PERFECTLY!!!

[T. A. Gardner]

Thank you for proving my point...PERFECTLY!!!

That isn't ad hominem, it's an insult.



"Get lost troll" is an insult.

And this is how ad hominem gets used in an argument:

[anonymoose]

The idea that a debate is about winning or losing is a bad concept. Trying to win is pointless.

Now I understand why you debate exclusively with insults. You know you can’t win.

[Hawkeye10]

First, know when to engage. Arguments, Seo reminds us, are “easy to start and hard to end.” For a dispute to go well, it should be real, important and specific. You need to have a point to make, not just an emotional conflict or complaint to air. If someone has hurt you, figure out why; that becomes a real basis for argument.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/11/o...on-debate.html

As if you have a clue.

Feel free to sit your ass down.

[Hawkeye10]

Now I understand why you debate exclusively with insults. You know you can’t win.

Better late than never when it comes to wising up!

[Blackwater Lunchbreak]

The idea that a debate is about winning or losing is a bad concept. Trying to win is pointless. This is why debate in high school is more like a football game where one is trying to defeat the opponent.

what losers say.....

[Yakuda]

First, know when to engage. Arguments, Seo reminds us, are “easy to start and hard to end.” For a dispute to go well, it should be real, important and specific. You need to have a point to make, not just an emotional conflict or complaint to air. If someone has hurt you, figure out why; that becomes a real basis for argument.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/11/o...on-debate.html

So let's try this out, someone with XY chromosomes and a penis isnt a woman no matter how much they believe they are. The point is people cannot arbitrarily decide what they are because nature has done that for them.

What say you?

[McRocket]

That isn't ad hominem, it's an insult.

Actually, no.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ad%20hominem

The Latin for 'ad hominem' is 'to the person'.

If someone is insulting you.
It is - by definition - to the person.
I.e. personal.
Thus, an insult.

They ARE the same thing.
It is impossible to insult someone without it also being an ad hominem.

We are done here.

Good day.

[NiftyNiblick]

We internet forum posters tend to be unable to critique an opinion without critiquing the individual offering it.

Thus, these discussions are nothing resembling debates.

Dialogue here is pretty worthless.
Venting is best done in monologue.

[Yakuda]

We internet forum posters tend to be unable to critique an opinion without critiquing the individual offering it.

Thus, these discussions are nothing resembling debates.

Dialogue here is pretty worthless.
Venting is best done in monologue.

I'd suggest any dialogue here is worthless because a large portion of the posters here seem to think anyone who disagrees with them is a racist and/or a fascist.

[T. A. Gardner]

I'd suggest any dialogue here is worthless because a large portion of the posters here seem to think anyone who disagrees with them is a racist and/or a fascist.

You fascist racist! I disagree with that...!