Lecture Notes: Restoring Quality in Public Discourse

Introduction

• Crisis in Public Conversations
  • Conversations are often unproductive: People shout their views without listening.
  • Skills of good argumentation are deteriorating.
  • Argument seen as instinctive rather than a skill to develop.
  • Poor arguments degrade the quality of discourse.

Speaker Background

• Bo So
  • Two-time world debate champion.
  • Former coach of Australian and Harvard debate teams.
  • Author of "Good Arguments".
  • Personal journey: Moved from South Korea to Australia at age 8, faced language and cultural barriers.
  • Found debate as a means to engage in structured conversation.

Argumentation Skills

• Importance of Argumentation

  • Intelligence: Ability to respond to any argument.
  • Wisdom: Knowing which arguments to engage with.
  • Arguments can become unruly if mishandled.

• RISA Framework

  • Four criteria to evaluate before engaging in disagreement:
    1. Real: Is the disagreement genuine or a misunderstanding?
    2. Important: Is it important enough to justify the disagreement?
    3. Specific: Is it specific enough to achieve progress?
    4. Aligned: Are both parties aligned in their objectives?

• Limitations of RISA

  • Difficult to find proper alignment in people's interests.
  • Alignment must be constructive for effective conversation.

Practical Application

• Using RISA in Real Life
  • Example: Family gatherings like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
  • Start disagreements with some agreement to prevent escalation.
  • Negotiate the purpose of the conversation to prevent aimless disputes.

Effective Debating Techniques

• Selecting Arguments

  • Decide on necessary disagreements to resolve for progress.
  • Challenge arguments that aid in advancing the dispute.

• Active Listening

  • Essential for effective debate.
  • Understand the opponent’s argument fully and respond to the strongest version.

Empathy and Perspective

• Side Switch Exercises

  • Imagine and articulate the best arguments for the opposing side.
  • Identify potential flaws in one's own case.
  • Exercise boosts empathy and understanding.

• Application Beyond Debate

  • Promotes humility and empathy in personal and political discussions.
  • Enhances ability to discuss complex issues compassionately.

Conclusion

• Debate encourages informed, empathetic discussions.
• Exercises like Sideswitch can improve ideological and political conversations.
• Expanding discussion scope leads to humane and productive discourse.