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It is a common practice at schools, to have debates and assign kids to each side. Defending a side one disagrees with, is supposed to be a good skill. What are they missing? Both that there is a truth of the matter, and that to argue against what one thinks true, means to say things one thinks false (or to avoid saying anything substantive, which I suppose is rather common). Fucking relativists.

Going to sleep. Mean to try and write curi/Isyn dual soon after I wake.

Elliot Temple on March 6, 2003

Messages (2)

What's wrong with trying to argue for something you disagree with? Could help understand the opposition better. Making up explanations for untrue stuff might be good practice for understanding the logic.


Anonymous at 11:07 AM on November 14, 2008 | #1669 | reply | quote

> What's wrong with trying to argue for something you disagree with? Could help understand the opposition better.

i'm not clear what Anon means.

a- you disagree with a position and you try to look for the good points it has.

b- you disagree with a position and you act like you agree with it and try to justify it with half-truths.

?

a is good. b is horrible.

i think elliot was talking about b.

i think Anon replied as if elliot was talking about a.


Anonymous at 12:50 PM on January 26, 2016 | #4689 | reply | quote

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