Dispute etiquette and ethics

The basis of any relationship between two or more people is communication, during which they exchange facts, information and their own opinions. If views and positions do not coincide, a dispute may arise. An important condition for its start is the desire of the participants to defend their point of view.

A dispute is a verbal competition, but the meaning of the word is also a broader concept that reflects the opposition of the parties. Participants can be two or more people.

Verbal confrontation is actively used before the conclusion of transactions, during negotiations. Scientists or grandmothers in the yard can argue.

The tradition of conducting this kind of fights came to us from Ancient Greece. Later, strict laws were created according to which they can be carried out.

The original goal was to get the truth. Over time, verbal competition has become a tool for achieving victory at any cost.

Today, the characterization "inveterate debater" has a rather negative connotation. The extreme expressions of this phenomenon are squabble and demagoguery. Demagogues use implicit techniques of false reasoning, use complex forms of presenting a position, masking logical contradictions. The set of such a debater also includes ingratiating themselves and populism.

The classification is carried out according to one of the characteristic features of the competition. There are several main types.

• Discussion - business conversations in search of the truth are often calm, honest techniques are used to refute the arguments of the opposite side.

• Dispute - a public competition on the topic of a given thesis.This form is often used when defending scientific papers or discussing a certain problem by people who sometimes have the same positions.
• Controversy - active verbal confrontation with the aim of defeating the enemy. Confrontation is often possible, but within the framework of generally accepted norms of behavior and morality.

• Debate or debate - public clashes of opinions, demonstrating the positions of different parties. Most often they occur as a reaction to a message, a speech at a conference, during an election campaign.

Disputes involving the use of incorrect techniques:

• eclecticism - conducted to achieve the truth;
• sophistry - to achieve victory over the enemy at any cost.

The nature of the verbal competition is influenced by the goals, the importance of the problem or information being discussed, the number of participants and the form of the fight. In recent years, controversy for controversy has become popular. Participants practice techniques without achieving a specific goal, but for their own pleasure.

The ethics of the dispute is based on the rules and principles of preparation:

• thinking over the tactics of conducting a verbal battle, choosing the main goal and choosing the main arguments;
• readiness for any scenario;
• studying the level of training of your opponent, his positive and negative sides in the conduct of a dispute;
• focusing on the topic of discussion.

Several more rules can be distinguished:

• never allow yourself to sink to the level of your opponent with his aggressive and unreasonable attacks;
• when denying any thesis, it is necessary not only to say “no”, but also to give at least a couple of arguments;
• it is necessary to criticize only with a constructive approach;
• thoughts must be confronted with thoughts, not an analysis of personality faults.

For more on the art of arguing, see the next video.