Seminar 1: Rhetoric, Definitions, Bias

Question 1

What is dialectic adaption?

Answer 1

Arguing from premises the other party accepts

Question 2

What is rhetorical adaption?

Answer 2

Make use of the other party’s value, emotions, identities, preferences

Question 3

What is solution selling?

Answer 3

Sell solutions, not products: that matters for the customer is not what the product is like, but what it does (incr revenue, reduce expenses, incr efficiency)

Question 4

How does solution selling work?

Answer 4

1. Identify the prospect’s pain points: research client, ask open ended questions
2. Show that you can relive the pain: don’t talk about properties of product, talk about how it helps, use the language customer uses

Question 5

Types of disputes

Answer 5

1. Substantive disputes: concerned with matters of fact/values
2. Merely verbal disputes: stems from difference in meaning and can be resolved by clarification of meaning
3. Verbal disputes: involve more than difference in meaning

Question 6

Advice for disputes

Answer 6

Don’t allow other party to name their position with more positively loaded terms
To resolve verbal disputes, define the terms

Question 7

What is a lexical definition?

Answer 7

Sort of definition we find in a dictionary: captures common usage

Question 8

What is stimulative definition?

Answer 8

Assigns a word meaning, new words are normally introduced by stimulative definitions: captures an idea we want to capture

Question 9

Lots of definitions fall … lexical and stimulative definitions

Answer 9

In between

Question 10

Definitions that fall in between match…

Answer 10

Common usage to some extent and also match the idea we want to capture

Question 11

Persuasive definitions (as stimulative definitions) cannot be faulted for…

Answer 11

Not matching common usage perfectly

Question 12

What are persuasive definitions?

Answer 12

Partly stimulative definitions which are slanted towards one party and make it easier to support/defend that party’s position

Question 13

Why are persuasive definitions dangerous?

Answer 13

They may give unfair advantage: if presented/mistaked as lexical definitions, they hide the fact the speaker iis making a contentious claim, claim will go unchallenged, and then arguer gets contentious claim accepted without having to argue for it (more dangerous if they gain general acceptance in media)
If other party notices the persuasive character, she will reject the definitions: so if parties have a verbal dispute, the persuasive definition won’t help to resolve it

Question 14

Believing in your thesis and arguing for it is perfectly OK, but it’s not OK (Biased argumentation):

Answer 14

1. Refusing to allow our views to be shaped by the strongest argument
2. To be more attached to our own ideas than to find the truth
3. To develop irrational commitments

Question 15

What is biased argumentation?

Answer 15

One sided argumentation that denies fair treatment to opposing arguments and doesn’t provide a balanced view of the strengths and weaknesses of the competing positions

Question 16

Biased argumentation may stem from

Answer 16

Strong commitment
Certain personality traits (ego issues, closed-mindedness)
Intention to manipulate

Question 17

Signs of biased argumentation

Answer 17

1. Selective use of facts (distortion of facts, holding back information)
2. Closure to opposing argumentation
3. Implicature and innuendo (more sophisticated tool, based on manipulation)

Question 18

Characteristics of ‘Closure to opposing argumentation’

Answer 18

1. Using overconfident expressions (obviously, anyone in their right mind can see)
2. Flattering the audience to prevent criticism
3. Using ad hominem arguments to discredit critics
4. Loaded terms
5. Repeating one’s arguments instead of answering objections
6. Treating objections lightly
7. Strawman fallacy
8. Presenting issue in overly simple terms

Question 19

When to suspect bias

Answer 19

Known advocacy, vested interests