13. Ten Fair-Play Principles in Argumentation

What is the purpose of argumentation? To win? Clearly, winning or losing an argument usually has consequences. These consequences can be less important, such as you having to do a small task that should have been done by your teammate, or very important, like your innocent client spending time in prison, if you are a bad lawyer. Whatever the case, the ultimate purpose of a dispute should be the truth and finding the best solution. Not winning. In an ideal world, all disputes would be conducted in a spirit of fair play. In a fair-play conversation, each participant enters with the willingness to convince the other, while allowing the possibility to be convinced herself. If people kept that in mind, the world would be a better place: a little dry, but better. However, in this less-than-ideal but fascinating world we live in, discussions often take wrong turns, so I have put together 10 fair-play rules to be remembered and hopefully followed in debates.