Any statement has value if it is justified. Not every person is capable of a clear, reasoned, logically connected, exhaustive conversation with the interlocutor. When it comes to contention, the quality of dialogue often does not improve. The reasons for this problem lie in the lack of knowledge of the rules and methods of dispute resolution and in the absence of practice of discussing serious issues.
Does it make sense to argue?
When starting a conversation, discussing an exciting or sensitive topic, you should first think carefully. Does it make sense in such a risky event? Indeed, a peaceful and friendly conversation can develop completely different turnovers, take on the character of a dispute, a verbal conflict. A warm conversation can flow into a heated discussion. An intellectually and mentally seasoned person will cope with a non-standard situation. But a person who is not accustomed to defending his interests and beliefs will be forced to retreat, weaken his position, thereby hurt his own and amuse other people's vanity. If nevertheless you got involved in a dispute, then, taking into account its nature and degree, apply the appropriate techniques.
Dispute Classification
All disputes can be classified according to two main criteria:
- techniques used in dispute resolution,
- goals that its participants strive to achieve.
There are disputes only with acceptable methods of discussion and disputes in which unacceptable methods are used. The latter include: substitution of the initial thesis, the use of unverified or false arguments and facts, intentional confusion, blurring of the situation, argumentation to the public, authority, pity, avoiding the topic, etc.
Disputes are also divided into those in which the participants in the conversation strive to establish the truth and those in which the main thing is to demonstrate their mental or oratory advantage.
If we consider together these two divisions of the controversial processes, we can get four of their main varieties:
- discussion,
- controversy
- eclecticism,
- sophistry.