3 Tips For Exposing The Left’s Lack Of Logic In Political Debates

The left often presents arguments that lack logic, such as claiming that banning puberty blockers and hormones for transgender-identifying minors will directly cause suicide, or that restricting abortion is an attack on human rights. But as conservatives, it’s important to use effective argumentation to refute these claims and communicate truth in a constructive manner. Here are three principles to follow, based on ethicist Matthew Petrusek’s upcoming book “Evangelization and Ideology: How to Understand and Respond to the Political Culture.”

1. Know Their Arguments Better Than They Do

Sympathetically understand your opponent’s position by repeating their argument back to them in your own words. For instance, trans-activists claim that curbing transgender interventions for children will cause kids to commit suicide, but there is currently no scientific evidence to support this claim. It’s important to force your opponent to make an actual argument rather than an emotive assertion.

2. Demand People Define Their Terms

Before delving into debate, make sure that you and your opponent are using the same definitions. It’s impossible to have a productive argument when different camps define words differently. For instance, with regards to abortion, ask what they mean by “human rights” and push them to defend these ambiguous terms.

3. Find the Underlying Philosophical Principles

Isolate and break down arguments to identify the underlying philosophical principle, as this often exposes faulty premises. For example, the claim that “only scientific knowledge is meaningful knowledge” is based on the error of scientism, which cannot be verified using scientific method and thus is question-begging. Similarly, the claim that “all that matters are the practical things” is based on the error of pragmatism and can’t be empirically tested.

By following these three principles, conservatives can engage in productive and effective arguments. Recovering our rhetorical skills and argumentative traditions will enable us to communicate truth, persuading the open-minded that our views are based on reason, rather than emotive and illogical premises.

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