What Debate Tactics Rub You the Wrong Way?

[Scuba Pete]

Any appeal to bigotry.

 

[Poisonshady313]

Poisoning the Well

This sort of "reasoning" involves trying to discredit what a person might later claim by presenting unfavorable information (be it true or false) about the person. This "argument" has the following form:

• Unfavorable information (be it true or false) about person A is presented.

• Therefore any claims person A makes will be false.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Poisoning the Well

This sort of "reasoning" involves trying to discredit what a person might later claim by presenting unfavorable information (be it true or false) about the person. This "argument" has the following form:

• Unfavorable information (be it true or false) about person A is presented.

• Therefore any claims person A makes will be false.

That is an ad hominem

 

[CaptainXeroid]

Bad grammar, faulty sentence structure, and poor spelling. When I encounter these things in a post, I skip right past it to a more intelligent offering.

The debate tactic that really disturbs me is the strawman. Just recently, a user on this forum used a strawman fallacy against me and then had the gall to accuse me of doing so.:banghead3:

When someone stoops to such a low level, I have to write the poster off as low class and unworthy of future debate. :sorry1:

My advise is to not read words that are not there into another's post, refute those words, and then act like you've proved something like this person did to me. The really tragic part is that I used to really respect this person, and now that is no more.

 

[gnomon]

Generalizations.

Equivocation can be pretty annoying but sometimes when I think someone is equivocating its usually just confusion on the terminology between myself and the other party.

 

[ChristineES]

Whenever I see posts that say "[insert word] is false" or something like that it almost seems as if they are saying "why are you debating this anyway, you know that it isn't real". I find that arrogant and demeaning. I usually just ignore such statements.

 

[Charity]

Personal attacks
everyone can have an opinion but they can't be right every time
It is good to discuss our beliefs theist or atheist but not be rude or make absurd remarks or unfounded accusations.

 

[McBell]

Stubbornly holding on to their beliefs even after page after page after page after page... of proof showing they are wrong.
Please see any creation thread for examples of what I am talking about.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Stubbornly holding on to their beliefs even after page after page after page after page... of proof showing they are wrong.
Please see any creation thread for examples of what I am talking about.

Yeah, them thar atheists are sure pig headed!

PS... This was posted in jest. Please don't make it out to mean anything further than the joke that it is.

 

[McBell]

Dictating to me what I think/believe.

 

[wednesday]

Religious scripture, means nothing to me unless its disproving something i say about the bible.

Also the "faith"as proof of existance is tiresome..

 

[Draka]

Bible quotes upon quotes upon quotes. If you have a stance or opinion why not just explain it instead of posting a long post of 6 or 7 different quotes and pretty much saying "see?" If you are in a biblical debate then fine, I can see why would you use them, BUT those that use them in practically every debate they enter are annoying. Especially when debating with people who don't even hold the bible to be anything more than just another book.

 

[Scuba Pete]

If you are in a biblical debate then fine,

On the flip side, those who say the Bible says this or that and then provide no referents, OR they misquote scripture to make it say something it clearly doesn't.

 

[Willamena]

What are some tactics, expressions, or quotes that are absolutely ineffective in winning you over in an argument, to the point of frustration or even infuriation?

Those who take an argument --any argument, statement or question --and make it about the person who is arguing (their motives, reason for posting, personality, attitude, disposition, etc.) rather than addressing what they tried to say.

What advice would you give for someone to avoid rubbing you the wrong way?

Just as "it's not always about you," it's not always about them.

 

[Magic Man]

You know what debate tactics really annoy me? When people disagree with me! I mean, what's up with that!?

 

[BucephalusBB]

You know what debate tactics really annoy me? When people disagree with me! I mean, what's up with that!?

I KNOW!!!
Or when they leave a debate because I am yelling at them that they are wrong! Well, they ARE!!!

 

[Magic Man]

I KNOW!!!
Or when they leave a debate because I am yelling at them that they are wrong! Well, they ARE!!!

EXACTLY!!

 

[mrscardero]

I was just reading and have to post that I just spit out my pizza
for the posts #'s 35-36-37.

 

[Alceste]

I have a pretty tough constitution. No particular tactic really "gets" to me, but many ideas do. I get extremely irritated with people who approve of state violence, bigots and zealots, no matter how respectfully (or not) they express themselves. It's like an infected wound I can't stop scratching.

 

[ChristineES]

You know what debate tactics really annoy me? When people disagree with me! I mean, what's up with that!?

I know what you mean, people disagree with me more than they agree with me. I mean, doesn't everyone know I have all the answers. (just kidding).