Some tongue-in-cheek suggestions
When dealing with a controversial or contentious claim, before embarking on "full throttle" discussion with interested parties - including those who may be positively inclined towards the claim - consider the answers to the following questions:
- Does it seem likely that a clear definition of the matter-at-issue and of the relevant key terms can be agreed, and that the matter is one on which they view the examination and evaluation of the evidence as telling or decisive?
- Does it seem likely they shall be willing to weigh evidence which may put the claim into question, exerting a good faith effort towards interpretating evidence fairly and carefully against the background information?
- Does it seem likely they are capable of discussing the claim without resort to bullying, personal abuse, or intellectual ruses?
- Does it seem likely they shall tend to conduct the discussion having in view the prospect of a properly justified conclusion and, where appropriate, reserving judgement, reviewing beliefs for accuracy and support, and, in principle, correcting unsound convictions and inferences, acknowledging that as human beings we are all in error at times?
If the answer to each of the above is "YES" then equally importantly ask:
5. What would the answers be if I were the subject of these questions.
If this answer is also in the affirmative, then embarking on discussion may well be worthwhile.*
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
The foregoing assumes that the claim under (or proposed for) discussion is falsifiable in nature and that an attitude of openminded scepticism is brought to bear.
__________________________________________
*Unsurprisingly, these questions (and their answers) by no means make worthwhile discussion - let alone well-reasoned, knowledgeable discourse - certain. The goal is that the participants get closer to an accurate judgement about the merit of the claim(s) being discussed.
» Return to belief, judgement, and clear thinking »