Eristic Discussion
One of reasons why communication is important part of the living in the society is the value it brings with the exchange of the informations.
Since the beginning of the first human's societies, it's been essential for us to gather and exchange vital informations about ourselves and our surroundings.
It seems rather easy to communicate when both sides agree with eachother.
Problems begin when there is no agreement between them and communication becomes discussion or even a quarrel.
It would be too far going assumption that if someone is right then discussion has to lead to the right solution. Quite often we forget about what is the important reason of the discussion and instead of exchanging facts we try to overcome our interlocutor.
In the heat of discussion, instead of seeking for the truth, we let our emotions and our ego take over control which can result in the discussion become eristic.
Schopenhauer described 38 stratagems like e.g. generalizing your opponent's specific statements,
choosing favourable metaphors, exaggerating opponent's statement or simply becoming personal, rude and insultive. We rarely have possibility to learn how to make discussion meaningful even though it is an important skill.
Understanding eristic stratagems can help us defend our position in the discussion while restraining ourselves from commiting eristics can help keep that discussion valuable.
Questions:
Do you use eristics when you discuss/argue? What kind of and why?
Do you let interlocutors to push your buttons? Does it come easily for them? Do you do anything about it?
What is your opinion on eristic?
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Being_Right
Comments
2. I try to stay calm and logical but I’d lie if I said I’m always like that and can always stay cool-headed.
3. I think it’s a powerful tool which should be used appropriately – I’ve seen people exhaust their opponents just beating around the bush without really approaching the core of the argument.
2. I’m quite a peaceful person, so you could say that it is not easy to trigger me. However, when I do feel like a discussion is becoming hostile, I usually retreat and bring it up later, when the emotions have settled.
3. I can’t fully agree with the idea of eristics, which is to ‘defeat your opponent’. If we want to be able to communicate, signal our needs and express our opinions we ought to try to understand each other and remain respectful, civil because that’s primarily what makes us human.
No, i guess not, i don't even argue so much, for me the most important thing is to learn something from someone even when that someone has no knowledge at all, because at least you learn the wrong way to do the job lob.
Do you let interlocutors to push your buttons? Does it come easily for them? Do you do anything about it?
Did you know if you are arguing with someone, the easiest way to shut their months is accepting their "mistakes". :P
What is your opinion on eristic?
Powerful when you know the person who you argue with, and weak when you know this talk is unnecessary.
Anyway, it depends on what the reason of the argument and if the topic even worse it.
I don't use any "buttons" to shut someone's mouth. Only just walking away.
When you good in the topic which is the reason of arguing then this is really huge.
2. Unfortunately there are some topics in which i can describe myself as "more sensitive in". There is not many of them to be honest. In general i don't let interlocutors to manipulate me in any meaning.
3. As I said personally I don't think it should be developed by people. Eristic can be considered as mind shutting to me.
I understand it is not easy, I got problems with it myself.
It isn't easy. We are just a humans and we can't stay calm every single time.
I agree with that. I was thinking about it as a defence mechanism. I wasn't thinking about eristics as about something to use against interlocutors.
2) No, I was lucky to be so born thick-skinned and shameless it rarely becomes a problem for me. Sometimes I even have to think seriously think if I should behave as if I feel offended because social context requires me so.
3) I believe it is a tool that makes you want to use it in circumstances in which it is very often inappropriate. I don't know if it brings more harm or good to the person using it.
That was actually my point of this presentation. I think that understanding of eristics can help protect your opinion from hostile opponents.
I could have not make myself clear on the topic enough. I think that there are a lot of people who use eristics unknowingly and I think it is bad for quality of the discussion. I wanted to put some light onto it to help with having and maintaning meaningful conversation rather than using these stratagems to bring conversation down.
I've come to realization that whenever you are calm in heated discussion the more opponent gets angry. It might not be best solution as only at times it is ok to tease your opponents but yeah, that's one of the possible approaches.
In our daily regular conversations there is no place for such a things and at this I can agree that eristis are unnecessary. They would be unnecessary if noone used them but we tend to do that even without thinking about that and in case of conversation that is important, I believe it is good to know what kind of tricks the other side can use to put your opinion down. Well, I'd rather talk with people who would like to maintain meaningful convesation but that's not always the case.
It isn't always easy to hold emotions in, especially if conversation is about sensitive topic for you. I always like to think that either the other person doesn't matter much enough for me to care or if I actually do - it is better to stay calm as it will always give better outcome. What I mean is - I'd rather either quit conversation or stay calm for the sake of discussion.
I'd rather think about as something worth to understand to prevent yourself from getting attacked that way.