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SCHOPENHAUER'S 38 STRATAGEMS, OR 38 WAYS TO WIN AN ARGUMENT

Dave

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I've been trying to put together a list of what I would call, liberal debating tactics. It's just typical dishonest argumentation that I've experienced over my lifetime. I ran across this list and found it interesting. It might be a good thing to know and recognize if it's being done to us, or even if we are doing something from that list ourselves without realizing it. This may be old news for some of you, but it's the first time I've heard of this. interesting.


Thoughts.
 
I always keep my arguments limited if I'm actually arguing something, plus I keep the discussion going towards/in the direction I want it to go, rather than allowing myself to be led.

The more restricted and narrow his or her propositions remain, the easier they are to defend by him or her.

It's possible I do the below occasionally in order to keep the direction where I want to go. I'll have to stop if I catch myself.

Ignore your opponent's proposition, which was intended to refer to a particular thing. Rather, understand it in some quite different sense, and then refute it. Attack something different than that which was asserted.

The whole list is pretty good, we see a lot of it...
 
I've been trying to put together a list of what I would call, liberal debating tactics. It's just typical dishonest argumentation that I've experienced over my lifetime. I ran across this list and found it interesting. It might be a good thing to know and recognize if it's being done to us, or even if we are doing something from that list ourselves without realizing it. This may be old news for some of you, but it's the first time I've heard of this. interesting.


Thoughts.
That is exactly what we find in every forum and in every conversation where someone is arguing against the deity of Christ, the sovereignty of God in election, (or any of the doctrines of grace) original sin etc. Traditional Christianity iwo including the TULIP. I wonder why that is?

The question of course is rhetorical. I think we all know why it is. You cannot prove an untruth by the book of truth. It has to be distorted in order to appear to do so. And so the way to combat that is to know our stuff. Know the full counsel of God, most importantly the doctrine of God. The gates of hell cannot stand against it.
 
I've been trying to put together a list of what I would call, liberal debating tactics. It's just typical dishonest argumentation that I've experienced over my lifetime. I ran across this list and found it interesting. It might be a good thing to know and recognize if it's being done to us, or even if we are doing something from that list ourselves without realizing it. This may be old news for some of you, but it's the first time I've heard of this. interesting.


Thoughts.
In ancient times that was called sophistry. I do not practice, accept, or encourage any of it.



P.S., except possibly in jest (in which case an appropriate emoji will accompany it ;)).
.
 
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  1. Use different meanings of your opponent's words to refute his or her argument.

That sounds a lot like the redefining of words which is so prevalent today. Is this a Marxist list?​
 
"Now, the serpent was more subtle..."
Satan comes as an angel of light..

He also has had over 6000 years of history and prety much can read a person and understand how to mix even a small lie with a bunch of truth, countering the truth..
 
Satan comes as an angel of light..

He also has had over 6000 years of history and prety much can read a person and understand how to mix even a small lie with a bunch of truth, countering the truth..
Relevance to the OP?
 
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  1. Use different meanings of your opponent's words to refute his or her argument.

That sounds a lot like the redefining of words which is so prevalent today. Is this a Marxist list?​

I think the article might be pointing to an intentional misunderstanding of what was said...

Such as reading more into someone's statement or misread the statement altogether.

People will do it intentionally or more intentionally to push the agenda instead of other, potentially better options available in discussion.

This type of thing is fairly Marxist in general, there's a specific message they're trying to push and it's about getting that message out to the wider audience, everything around it is just prop.
 
I think the article might be pointing to an intentional misunderstanding of what was said...

Such as reading more into someone's statement or misread the statement altogether.

People will do it intentionally or more intentionally to push the agenda instead of other, potentially better options available in discussion.

This type of thing is fairly Marxist in general, there's a specific message they're trying to push and it's about getting that message out to the wider audience, everything around it is just prop.
I think it also happens when people use their definition of words to try to understand what someone else is saying. who has a different definition.

talk about a storm ready to happen.. watch out..lol
 
I think it also happens when people use their definition of words to try to understand what someone else is saying. who has a different definition.

talk about a storm ready to happen.. watch out..lol
That goes without saying. Is there such a thing as a correct biblical definition when speaking of things in the Bible?
 
I think it also happens when people use their definition of words to try to understand what someone else is saying. who has a different definition.

talk about a storm ready to happen.. watch out..lol
That's exactly what Spurgeon said about theological discussions, that unfortunately, the discussions become more about what the theological terms mean than what they represent.
 
The liberal debating tactics. I coined that phrase specifically to describe what I was seeing, though I'm sure someone used it before me. I googled it and see the phrase being used, but I don't see that anyone has specifically tried to define it yet. Maybe we should try. Most of it is seen in politics today, the creating false narratives, etc.. Victimhood is a major tool used to manipulate people. Stuff like that. Here's a couple of that I would call liberal debating tactics.

1) Attacking the person, instead of dealing with the point made by that person. While noting a questionable character is expected, usually the substance behind their questioning the person is false and was created by the same people. In other words, where there is smoke, there's fire, says the person creating all the smoke.

2) Continually boasting about how easily your point is refuted, and how it has been refuted many many times in the past. Just a constant belittling, while offering very little to actually refute the point that they are confronting. This tactic is used to add emphasis and profoundness to a short reply that wouldn't otherwise have either. In short, It's an argument made for itching ears and simple minded people.

Care to add?
 
But I do maintain there should be, and there must be if our churches are to be healthy and sound, a constant adherence to the fundamental doctrines of divine truth. I should be prepared to go a very long way for charity’s sake, and admit that very much of the discussion which has existed even between Arminians and Calvinists has not been a discussion about vital truth, but about the terms in which that vital truth shall be stated. (Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 6:395.)
 
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That's exactly what Spurgeon said about theological discussions, that unfortunately, the discussions become more about what the theological terms mean than what they represent.
Sadly also. It is many times determined by the. Person trying to defend the theological term, And then you get the bickering.

Both saying they have the right position. Sadly, this means discussion is null and void will will not be a winner.

Sadly I have witnessed this far to many times
 
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