Controversial dialec c is the art of dispu ng, and of dispu ng in such a ... L'Art d'
avoir toujours raison. Paris, Ed. ... schopenhauer/Schopenhauer-5.pdf. 6. 18/09/ ...
The art of controversy Lecture #0 How to be always right… Dr. Marc Laperrouza University of Lausanne (UNIL) 2012-2013 Autumn semester
Two different things • Logic [Greek: logizesthai], “to think over, to consider, to calculate” è science of thought, or the science of the process of pure reason, should be capable of being constructed à priori • Dialectic [Greek: dialegesthai], “to converse” ècan be constructed only à posteriori Controversial dialec/c is the art of dispu/ng, and of dispu/ng in such a way as to hold one’s own, whether one is in the right or the wrong—per fas et nefas 2
CwC00 The art of controversy 18/09/2012
Basis of dialectic • Two modes of refuting a thesis and two courses that we may pursue: • Modes: ad rem and at hominem • Courses: direct and indirect refutation – Direct admits a two-fold procedure: • The reasons for the statement are false • Admit the reasons or premises, but show that the statement does not follow from them
– Direct uses either the diversion or the instance (example of the contrary) 3
CwC00 The art of controversy 18/09/2012
Some stratagems (1/2) • The extension è carry your opponent’s proposition beyond its natural limits (exaggerate…) – the more general a statement becomes, the more numerous are the objections to which it is open • The dispersion è if you want to draw a conclusion, you must not let it be foreseen, but get the premises admitted one by one, unobserved, mingling them in your talk • The distortion è state a false syllogism 4
CwC00 The art of controversy 18/09/2012
Some stratagems (2/2) • The irritation è making your opponent angry; for when he is angry he is incapable of judging aright, and perceiving where his advantage lies • The inconsistence è try to see whether your opponent’s proposition is not in some way—if needs be, only apparently— inconsistent with some other proposition which he has made or admitted • The suspicion è link to some odious category • The will è instead of working on opponent’s intellect by argument, work on his will by motive 5
CwC00 The art of controversy 18/09/2012
Find out more • Schopenhauer, A., D. L. Miermont, et al. (1998). L'Art d'avoir toujours raison. Paris, Ed. Mille et une nuits. • Online version (in English): http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/ schopenhauer/Schopenhauer-5.pdf
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CwC00 The art of controversy 18/09/2012