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The Art of Being Right (Die Kunst, Recht zu Behalten) is a short treatise of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. In it, Schopenhauer examines a total of thirty-eight methods of showing up one's opponent in a debate. He introduces his essay with the idea that philosophers have concentrated in ample measure on the rules of logic, but especially since the time of Immanuel Kant not engaged with the darker art of the dialectic, of controversy. Whereas the purpose of logic is classically said to be a method of arriving at the truth, dialectic, says Schopenhauer,
"on the other hand, would treat of the intercourse between two rational beings who, because they are rational, ought to think in common, but who, as soon as they cease to agree like two clocks keeping exactly the same time, create a disputation, or intellectual contest. Regarded as purely rational beings, the individuals would, I say, necessarily be in agreement, and their variation springs from the difference essential to individuality; in other words, it is drawn from experience.
[edit] Sections
- The Extension
- The Homonymy
- Generalize your Opponent's Specific Statements
- Conceal Your Game
- False Propositions
- Postulate What Has To Be Proved
- Yield Admissions Through Questions
- Make Your Opponent Angry
- Questions in Detouring Order
- Take Advantage of The Nay-Sayer
- Generalize Admissions of Specific Cases
- Choose Metaphors Favourable to Your Proposition
- Agree to Reject the Counter-Proposition
- Claim Victory Despite Defeat
- Use Seemingly Absurd Propositions
- Arguments Ad Hominem
- Defense Through Subtle Distinction
- Interrupt, Break, Divert the Dispute
- Generalize the Matter, Then Argue Against it
- Draw Conclusions Yourself
- Meet him With a Counter-Argument as Bad as His
- Petitio principii
- Make Him Exaggerate his Statement
- State a False Syllogism
- Find One Instance to The Contrary
- Turn The Tables
- Anger Indicates a Weak Point
- Persuade the Audience, Not The Opponent
- Diversion
- Appeal to Authority Rather Than Reason
- This is Beyond Me
- Put His Thesis Into Some Odious Category
- It Applies in Theory, But Not in Practice
- Don't Let Him Off The Hook
- Will is More Effective Than Insight
- Bewilder Your opponent by Mere Bombast
- A Faulty Proof Refutes His Whole Position
- Become Personal, Insulting, Rude
[edit] See also
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Online version from Coolhaus.de, translated by T. Bailey Saunders in 1896. It shows the English translation parallel to the German text.