Is there a specific word or phrase to describe this sort-of-straw-man argument tactic? (Not even sure it's a "fallacy" per se.) [more inside]
posted by Scattercat on Sep 10, 2009 - 5 answers

Disagreement filter: Do you apologize when you inadvertently say something that hurts someone else? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jul 14, 2009 - 52 answers

I'd like to buy a book for my girlfriend to help her structure her ideas in academic writing. My girlfriend is a graduate student in the humanities. She is clever, erudite and rigorous, but her ability to build an argument is poor. She finds it particularly difficult to unpack a complex concept and present its constitutive parts in a logical sequence. The book I'd like to buy helps writers with these specific problems, ideally (but not necessarily) within the context of research in the humanities. [more inside]
posted by limon on Mar 19, 2009 - 25 answers

Help me come up with better models!! (re: essays and argumentation) [more inside]
posted by puckish on Feb 18, 2009 - 7 answers

Recommendations for books that teach argument composition? [more inside]
posted by Sova on Feb 6, 2009 - 10 answers

What is a "Cassandra Argument?" [more inside]
posted by DieHipsterDie on Jan 28, 2009 - 10 answers

Am I oversensitive? [more inside]
posted by peggynature on Jan 16, 2009 - 52 answers

Name that website: annotated multi-user arguments reaching consensus? [more inside]
posted by ajp on Jan 15, 2009 - 4 answers

Linguists and debaters! Does this type of argument have a name? [more inside]
posted by moxiedoll on Jan 3, 2009 - 27 answers

Who gave the most powerful, most persuasive, and most memorable endorsement of John McCain in this election? [more inside]
posted by josh on Dec 9, 2008 - 10 answers

Conflict resolution-filter: How can I be a better (read: appropriately responsive and fair) moderator and listener? A lot more inside. [more inside]
posted by self on Dec 3, 2008 - 8 answers

QuotationFilter: Who said it's more fun to construe people so that you can agree with them, than to argue with them? (I believe this was couched as a private mental game useful for dealing with boors.)
posted by rwhe on Oct 15, 2008 - 7 answers

He said/she said, he said/he said, she said/she said - when do you give up on these kinds of arguments? [more inside]
posted by Evangeline on Sep 25, 2008 - 18 answers

I seem to be really good at debating. How can I use this "talent"? [more inside]
posted by dcrocha on Aug 22, 2008 - 24 answers

Why isn't GNU uniq 6.12 working as I expect? [more inside]
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Jul 17, 2008 - 3 answers

How can I learn to talk through my emotions when I'm very upset instead of shutting down? [more inside]
posted by kerfuffled on May 7, 2008 - 25 answers

Help me convince company execs that it's time to bump entry level starting pay. [more inside]
posted by GuffProof on Mar 13, 2008 - 17 answers

Why do mathematicians (and/or programmers) describe information passed to a function as an 'argument'? [more inside]
posted by b33j on Dec 13, 2007 - 14 answers

Help me find debates with a clear winner. [more inside]
posted by StrikeTheViol on Nov 17, 2007 - 25 answers

[family squabble filter]: My brother is convinced that a human could survive by consuming nothing but blood from other humans. I want to prove him wrong without actually testing his theory. [more inside]
posted by duckierose on Sep 10, 2007 - 21 answers

When I need to stand up for myself or interact with someone I despise, I often find myself literally shaking a little. Or a lot, actually. My new job involves a lot of this (often on others' behalf), so I'd like to control it. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 7, 2007 - 21 answers

I am starting to hate my cousin and best friend. Please help me forgive her. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 3, 2007 - 33 answers

My partner staunchly affirms that very large vegetables and fruit from the supermarket are so big because they are GMOs. Can this be true, and is it anything to be afraid of? [more inside]
posted by arcticwoman on Mar 14, 2007 - 37 answers

In a nutshell, my fiancee hates my family. [more inside]
posted by aprivateperson on Feb 27, 2007 - 111 answers

What podcasts, radio shows, or TV shows feature an outstanding debater? [more inside]
posted by lunchbox on Feb 9, 2007 - 11 answers

I would like a definitive view of the Israel/Palestine conflict that doesn't take sides (even most of the factual histories I've read omit some facts to give a certain slant to one side or the other). This could come in the form of a book, website, documentay, torrent, .pdf, podcast, or miscellaneous other media forms I haven't thought of. [more inside]
posted by elr on Dec 28, 2006 - 22 answers

I want to avoid a feud with my neighbour - what is the best way to go about doing this? Of course there's... [more inside]
posted by gwenzel on Nov 8, 2006 - 23 answers

I love arguing with people -- orally walking them through their premises, disputing their conclusions, bringing up cool new analogies and information, and learning and teaching in the process. I want to do this all day long and get paid for it. Career recommendations? [more inside]
posted by shivohum on Sep 20, 2006 - 29 answers

PoliticsFilter: Help me (a moderate liberal) find ways to be comfortable in a social circle dominated by apathy and ultraconservativism. [more inside]
posted by Alterscape on Jun 10, 2006 - 29 answers

Is there a name for the argument or fallacy that states, essentially, that "Everyone is subject to the injustice that I have created-- the fact that you disproportionately bear the burden of this injustice is immaterial."
posted by Kwantsar on Apr 5, 2006 - 13 answers

What witty, ideology destroying quip can I make to the "Laroche Youth Movement" guys who are going to disturb me outside the train station this evening? [more inside]
posted by Jimbob on Nov 24, 2005 - 20 answers

I stay calm and collected when people are getting angry and yelling at me. I have been told that this is an "infuriating" trait. What to do? [more inside]
posted by afroblanca on Nov 23, 2005 - 49 answers