a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment by kleinbl00
kleinbl00  ·  3048 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: An illustrated book of bad arguments.

These things are the worst.

The problem with attempts such as these is they are designed as guides to facilitate one party ignoring the other. "You used 'No True Scotsman,' therefore I don't have to pay any attention to you! Lalalalala!" Stupid thing is, you know that the argument being made is bad, and if you can put a name to it, you can take the short way and point out why the argument is bad, rather than saying "wikipedia says your argument is bad, fa lala upvote upboat!" as if you made a point.

You didn't make a point.

Arguments are about debate. Arguments are about rhetoric. Arguments are about persuasion. There is nothing as UNpersuasive as whipping out Wikipedia and saying "see? You used 'appeal to authority!' That means that according to Hoyle I can tell you to shut the fuck up and maintain my winning sophomoric glow of self-righteousness!"

If you actually want to win an argument (rather than just blow it up) you have to make your opponent understand the fallacy in their thinking... in such a way that they continue to debate with you. Standing up and screaming "Simpsons did it! Simpsons did it!" just illustrates that you're an over-mothered teenager with no friends.