I read a fascinating passage from Daniel Dennett's new book. Dennett is famous for being a 'new Atheist' one of the more vocal critics of my profession, but he has some very good things to say, and his criticisms are usually well thought out. Here he outlines 7 rules of thinking, which I found really useful.
Thinking hard
In particular,
I'd highlight his advice to be able to state your opponent's argument so persuasively that they say "yes, that's what I believe" and his advice to pay attention to "surely" and rhetorical questions, which often function as glosses over weak spots in our arguments.
I try not to preach in arguments, but I do try and think using these kinds of tools.
Thinking hard
In particular,
I'd highlight his advice to be able to state your opponent's argument so persuasively that they say "yes, that's what I believe" and his advice to pay attention to "surely" and rhetorical questions, which often function as glosses over weak spots in our arguments.
I try not to preach in arguments, but I do try and think using these kinds of tools.
No comments:
Post a Comment