Argument & Community (Ourselves)

So we ask: "Yes, yes, argument is valuable but how do I begin to learn this art?" Let me give three suggestions and two principles of argument to start thinking about.



Suggestion 1: Start or join a "Christian Fellows Society" where you can discuss and debate and present and refute ideas with other friends of the faith (or not?). If this sounds daunting then think about it as the task of getting together with a couple of other guys to have coffee and talk theology, philosophy, ministry, manhood, being a husband, etc. Start somewhere. This is a good place to ask tough questions and then go on to learn how to answer them through one another's discussion and/or reading and then returning for discussion later. This can be done online as well although not as useful . . . and as a last resort.



Suggestion 2: Next time you want to present an idea or defend one or bring up a tough question (to your wife, pastor, etc.) then take time to write down the idea or objection into a single sentence or two. This forces clarity on your part and the more you do it the better practiced you become at it so that eventually you can spout it out without having to write it down.



Suggestion 3: Choose a subject of interest and begin to read, read, read, and then read a little more. Make notes in the margin. Also, use this interest as a starting point for presenting an idea (it doesn't have to be original to you) and defending or discussing it to the society or some group.



Principle of Argument One: Learn what it means for a proposition to be "self-referentially incoherent". This means that a proposition cannot live up to its own standard. Consider the following:

Prop. 1 - "Every statement is caused by the material synopses of the brain. Therefore, statements are neither true nor false, just the result of material forces at work."

The problem is that prop.1 cannot, then, be either true or false. So why listen to it?



Prop. 2 - "One must not judge others because there are no moral absolutes."

But then one cannot tell me not to judge. So why pay attention to it?



Prop. 3 - "All truth is relative."

Even prop. 3? Then we need not heed the point.



Each of these propositions refute themselves. Learn to look for this in argument.



Principle of Argument Two: Learn to properly "quantify" your arguments. The following propositions mean very different things.



Prop. 1 - All philosophy is destructive.

Prop. 2 - Some philosophy is destructive.

Prop. 3 - No philosophy is destructive.

Prop. 4 - At least one school of philosophy is destructive.



Or consider,



Prop. 1 - All men have free choices.

Prop. 2 - Some men have free choices.

Prop. 3 - All men have some free choices.

Prop. 4 - All men have at least one free choice.

Prop. 5 - Some men have at least one free choice.



In other words, learn to be clear and do not refute yourself by the very proposition you are entertaining.



Sound irrevelent? Not in the slightest. Today I am sure that you will present an idea or proposition no matter how simple whether to your wife or children: "Evangeline, all children must always tell the truth." "Landis, some little children are brats. Don't be one!"

Say what you mean, and mean what you say.