22 OCT 2013 by ideonexus
The Point of Argument
The point of a good argument isn’t for one person to simply win over the other. It’s ideally for both to come away with cognitive gains.
Even if the goal of an argument is to reach a decision, the goal isn’t to win, the goal is to define the parameters for a good decision and then make the best possible decision with that in mind.
I’ve come to believe that when two reasonably smart people disagree on a subject, at the core, it is often because one of the following:
One or both of the ...The goal should be to define the parameters of where everyone can agree.
19 JUN 2013 by ideonexus
Argument Frames
Functioning as a progressive or conservative means having a stock of general
argument frames that are used not just on one issue but on many issues. That is why someone attuned to politics can immediately understand or construct a “new” argument as soon as a new issue arises. The “new” argument is not really new at all. It is an instance of a general argument frame with a new issue-defining frame plugged in, and sometimes a new commonplace frame or surface frame. But the overall struc...Liberals and Conservatives have a framework on which to quickly build arguments for/against new issues.