Conversations are marked by people shouting past each other, stuck in their views.
Skills for good arguments have atrophied, decreasing confidence in productive disagreements.
Speaker Introduction
Bo Seo: Two-time world debate champion, former coach of Australian and Harvard debate teams, author of "Good Arguments."
Personal background: Moved from South Korea to Australia at eight, struggled with language and cultural barriers, joined the debate team for structured communication.
Importance of Good Arguments
Argument is not just instinctual but a skill that requires practice.
Good arguments are crucial for productive and enriching disagreements.
Framework for Effective Arguments: RISA Framework
Real: Ensure the disagreement is genuine and not a misunderstanding.
Important: Determine if the disagreement is significant enough to engage in.
Specific: Focus on specific topics to make progress.
Aligned: Ensure that both parties have aligned objectives for the discussion.
Applying the RISA Framework
Useful during family gatherings to manage personal and political disagreements.
Importance of starting disagreements with some base agreement.
Tactics in Arguments
Arguments can become disorderly without clear boundaries.
Key Questions:
Is resolving this disagreement necessary for progress?
Will challenging this point help in the overall argument?
Effective Listening in Debates
Listening should be active, not passive.
Understand the opponent’s argument as they see it.
Respond to the strongest version of the opponent’s case.
Build up the opponent’s argument to make the conversation more challenging and productive.
The Side-Switch Exercise
Before debating, prepare the best arguments for the opposing side.
Identify flaws in one's own case from the perspective of an opponent.
Imagine reasons for losing the debate to understand the opponent better.
Promotes humility, empathy, and a recognition of the reasonableness of other beliefs.
Broader Application
Debate skills are increasingly needed in political and ideological discussions.
Effective arguments and debates make dialogue on contentious and difficult issues more humane and productive.