"The highest civilization and culture, apart from the ancient Hindus and Egyptians, are found exclusively among the white races" - Schopenhauer, Parerga and Paralipomena, Vol. 2, "On Philosophy and Natural Science," §92, trans. Payne (p. 158-159).
"[Judaism] is, therefore, the crudest and poorest of all religions and consists merely in an absurd and revolting theism." - Schopenhauer, "Fragments for the History of Philosophy", Parerga and Paralipomena, Volume I, trans. Payne (p. 126).
This book should be read by everyone at least a bit interested into how a debate works.
The analytical prowess of Schopenhauer is brilliant and highlights very clearly many of the tactics everyone uses willingly or unwillingly when in need to convince or to prove a point.
The greatest users of these tactics: politicians. They're great at not necessarily "winning an argument", but making it seem like they won to the weaker minded.
Socratic dialogue, where everyone is intent on building up a shared truth. Socrates talks about these two different ways of engaging in dialogue in Plato's works.
Ironically, Plato's Socrates rarely ever actually arrives at what he considers truth, most dialogues just end at an impasse. This is arguably why they're still so readable. They're more about teaching you how to think and question what you know than proselytizing some particular doctrine.
These are interesting, but they're more for war rather than debate. I could imagine taking them metaphorically and using them in a debate, but it would be a lot trickier.
It's a subtle difference, #2 is arguing against a different meaning of the words than you are intended (what do you mean 2+3=6? Everyone knows 2+3 = 5), #6 is actually changing the words you are saying (what do you mean #2 is #3 + #6?! that doesn't make sense!)
20 comments
[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 19.2 ms ] thread"[Judaism] is, therefore, the crudest and poorest of all religions and consists merely in an absurd and revolting theism." - Schopenhauer, "Fragments for the History of Philosophy", Parerga and Paralipomena, Volume I, trans. Payne (p. 126).
https://archive.org/details/23341891SchopenhauerParergaAndPa...
The second quote:
https://archive.org/details/23341891SchopenhauerParergaAndPa...
I was following Rule 38.
LoL I got flagged for being 100% on subject.
The analytical prowess of Schopenhauer is brilliant and highlights very clearly many of the tactics everyone uses willingly or unwillingly when in need to convince or to prove a point.
A short and good read.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-Six_Stratagems