The Anatomy of an Argument
Every argument is a claim resting on reasons resting on evidence. Separate the three before judging, restate the argument so well its author agrees, and decide in advance what evidence would change your mind.
- Untangle claim, reasons and evidence before evaluating any of them.
- Steel-man an argument — restate it until its author agrees — before objecting.
- A belief no observation could dislodge is furniture, not a conclusion.
Claims, Reasons, Evidence
Every argument reduces to a claim held up by reasons, which stand on evidence. Untangle the three before evaluating any of them. Most disagreements are people attacking a claim while the real weakness sits quietly in the evidence underneath.
The Steel Man Rule
Never respond to an argument until you can restate it so well that its author would say "yes — exactly." Anything less is shadow-boxing. The steel man rule is slow, uncomfortable, and the fastest known cure for tribal thinking.
When to Change Your Mind
Decide in advance what evidence would move you. A belief that no possible observation could dislodge is not a conclusion — it is furniture. The luminous mind keeps its furniture light enough to rearrange.
What are the parts of an argument?
A claim, the reasons that support it, and the evidence the reasons stand on. Most disagreements attack the claim while the real weakness sits in the evidence.
What is the steel man rule?
Restating an argument so accurately that its author would say 'yes, exactly' before you respond to it — the fastest cure for tribal thinking.