Keith Burgess-Jackson of the University of Texas at Arlington concludes a brief clinic on reasoning and argumentation this way in a recent piece on the logic of torture:
Nothing I have said implies that philosophers can’t argue. But notice what that involves. Every argument with an evaluative conclusion must, in order to be valid, have at least one evaluative premise. (This is known as Hume’s Law.) To persuade somebody to accept a conclusion, you must use only premises that he accepts. If your interlocutor rejects one of your premises, including the evaluative one, your argument gets no grip on him (although it might get a grip on someone else, with different beliefs and values). You will to have to back up, as it were, and argue for the premise that your interlocutor rejects. This new argument will also need to have at least one evaluative premise. If your interlocutor rejects it, you will have to back up and argue for it–and so on, until you find common ground. The idea is to show your interlocutor that he has inconsistent beliefs. The only leverage a philosopher has is the principle of noncontradiction.
Argumentation is hard. It requires time, patience, energy, charity and intelligence.
As we study and contend for God’s truth in the marketplace of ideas, let diligence and humility be hallmarks of our communications.
Outstanding quote. I am currently reading John Frame’s Apologetics to the Glory of God (so far, I can highly recommend it), and he talks about three legs to the stool of contending for God’s truth:
1) proof (arguments from premises);
2) defense (addressing counterpoints to Biblical truth); and
3) offense (identifying inconsistencies and other weaknesses in alternative views).
The quote and your statement are clear reminders that we need to make it a personal priority to be faithful to God in the realm of truth vs. falsehood. This priority can be mapped to a roles/goals approach, but it is a horizontal role that touches all the others.
For those planning your coming year, or simply looking to cultivate Biblical conviction on this point, I suggest you study 1 Peter 3:15-16, which calls us to always be ready to defend our hope, and 2 Corinthians 7:4-6, which calls us to destroy false arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of Christ.
Then, start sowing with practical steps like listening, reading, praying, writing, and engaging others. I would like to challenge anyone who spends time on consuming media for entertainment to shift your orientation to consuming media (always being mindful of the ways content can tempt you) to become a discerner of false values and worldviews. You will be amazed at what you see, and how much more emotionally engaging this is than simply being amused (which literally means “mind turned off”).
Thanks again for the provocation, Trav. I think I will throw this up as a blog post to further highlight the importance of your insight.