Define Your Terms – Praxis Wednesday Response

Last night our module got to speak with James Walpole.  Although it was really just a conversation between the four of us on the call I found a few notes to take away and appreciated the discussion overall.

Something that stuck out to me was when James mentioned defining your terms. This further confirmed a debate/argument technique that I had actually heard before from some of my favorite political thinkers. It ensures you are speaking about the same things, and that you know what the other person is talking about and arguing for or against.

Another favorite point from the conversation was that if you use a fallacy admit it graciously, and James added there’s a power advantage in acknowledgment. I had suspected this solution, but again the confirmation from someone who’s thought this through was helpful. By admitting your wrong you’re taking the high road in an argument and ensuring you stay honest to the person you’re speaking with.

Find where you agree with others, this is another technique my favorite political thinkers use, and I appreciate this even if I’m sometimes bad at it. Here’s the thing though, this method allows you to develop friendships instead of enemies. Yes, it’s also way easier said than done, but understanding this concept and internalizing it will be the first step in a better direction for me.

So define your terms, find your similarities, and stay as honest as you can throughout a conversation, and you’ll probably find your arguments being far more fruitful.