Ancient Greek philosophers despised the Sophists’ rhetoric because it searched for relative truth, not absolutes. But learning how to do that thoughtfully can help constructive debates.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Argument
Displaying 1 - 20 of 21 articles
Immanuel Kant’s ideas about respect are still important today, in a world where social media and echo chambers make manipulation easy.
There are things you can do to stop conversations about sensitive topics turning into a quarrel.
As strategies go, whataboutism is more attack than debate. Using it isn’t about reasoned argument but winning a fight, no matter the cost to truth.
We’ve all heard an exasperated “do your research!” from people who want to persuade us to accept their claim or point of view. The problem is it’s not likely to convince anyone.
Benjamin Franklin spoke and wrote in ways that, if taken up now, could begin to erode the polarization of the current era.
Talking with people who hold different political views doesn’t have to be an exercise in futile rage. Here are some tips to help you peacefully and fruitfully discuss spicy topics.
False premises, fear-based reasoning and mob thinking are baked into the platform, allowing misinformation to thrive.
Those with strong beliefs tend to be admired.
When we argue, it’s far too easy to mistreat others. This is why it’s important to follow certain norms of argument, remain open-minded and remember what’s morally at stake.
Teaching children philosophy can help improve academic results. But the main reason it should be used in schools is it allows children a space to make sense of the world, and meaning in their lives.
US history is filled with instances where one partisan side charges that the other side’s positions will lead to national ruin. Now, both sides accuse the other of betraying their country.
Research suggests people intuitively draw a distinction between what is known and what is believed. Recognizing the difference can help in ideological disagreements.
The television presenter and the scientist are having an argument about God on Twitter, and Morgan is getting a lot of stick. That’s not fair.
Project Debater looks like machines are ready to understand humans, but the reality is we’re still in the earliest days of AI.
Thanks to new deep-learning techniques, AI has the potential to analyse, improve and contribute to the process of human discussion.
We need to rethink how we frame discourse about Chinese students who speak out at universities – we seem to have forgotten that argument is a normal part of university study.
A guide to steering your family away from a dialogue of the deaf about poverty and inequality this festive season.
Controversial arguments and ideas should be listened to and open to public scrutiny. Only then can we expose those ideas found wanting and lacking any credibility.
South Africa needs to build a mental infrastructure that will allow people to individually and collectively engage in a bold, courageous and trutfhul dialogue.
Top contributors
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Professor of Computer Science and Philosophy, University of Dundee
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Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Education; Curriculum Director, UQ Critical Thinking Project, The University of Queensland
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Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics, Nottingham Trent University
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Researcher, UQ Critical Thinking Project, The University of Queensland
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Associate Professor of Practice Communication Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of East London
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Chancellor and Professor of English, Indiana University Kokomo, Indiana University Kokomo
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Early Career Researcher in Screen Studies, The University of Melbourne
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Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, University of East London
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Research assistant professor, University of Essex
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Professor of Psychology, University of Bath
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Reader in Philosophy, University of Birmingham
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Assistant Professor of Psychology, Columbia University
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Associate Professor of Government, Bowdoin College
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PhD student in Education, researching Philosophy for Children, Monash University
