Debating

Debating is the art of testing yourideas against another person's ideas in verbal form.

First, make sure you make sure your thinking isn't subject to Cognitive Biases and your arguments aren't subject to Logical Fallacies

You need to know what you think. Your arguments need to be as solid as you can make them. Steelmanning your arguments is a great way to strengthen your arguments.

• You need to identify non-arguments, things that either are a Logical Fallacy or aren't supporting the argument. Emotional responses (rather than logical arguments) are non-arguments.
  • Often, disagreements are based on emotional beliefs that may or may not be founded in reality. Understanding the source of these beliefs and dragging them into the open can be helpful.
• A broad opinion needs specifics: don't try to defend generalized statements, and don't accept blanket statements. Get the other person to name specific examples so that you can debate that.
• Related, you avoid debating the abstract and instead focus on specifics. Abstract ideas are good ideas that may not be tenable, whereas specifics give both parties something to actually debate.
• Don't be afraid to agree when the other person makes a valid point, and make sure you note the conditions under which your arguments would be false. What would it take for you to accept the other person's arguments? This must be done in good faith. You need to understand your opponents perspective to make an effective argument, and you need to understand where you both agree. This common ground is a good starting point for arguments.
  • Also, make sure the other person can understand you, and that you understand them.
  • If you can get someone to see that they actually agree with you (if not on the whole argument, on key parts), it's often much easier than trying to change the other person's mind.
• Continuing with this, make sure your arguments are truthful. You should be a man of character. Don't strawman someone's arguments.
• Don't get sucked into trying to defend against people insulting you: attack their ideas, and don't get drawn into personal attacks. It helps if you make sure your character is right, that you've gotten yourself into a good place. Don't try to argue with something about a topic that is dependent on your own flaws. You might have to acknowledge that there are things about you that you don't like, that are distasteful. Don't give into that.
• Watch out for snuck premises: they are a cheap way to win, and instead try to agree on givens. Understand the givens that you are bringing to the debate, and understand what givens the other people came with.
• You have to go into this with the confidence that you are right; if you aren't confident that you are right, how can you expect the other person to come around to your view? This is a balance, because if you go in unconvincible, you will also never get anywhere.
• You should identify conversational bullies as early as possible. In modern arguments, you'll often hear a lot of passive-aggressive comments. This person may be trying to lead you into a strawman trap.
  • For example, “so you're saying” - you can say, “this is not what I'm saying.” They may be trying to oversimplify your arguments.
  • Watch out for comments along the lines of assuming the sale. Point out where the other person is assuming your beliefs, and clarify them.
  • Avoid smashing together two disparate ideas and arguing as if they are equivalent. If you're on the receiving end, slow down the conversation and get the other person to debate each topic separately. Don't try to argue them all at once, as you'll start to confuse your thinking.