Quotes About Debate

What we try to do at 'The Federalist' is to provide opinion and analysis that brings in a lot of different perspectives from across the Right. You'll see, a lot of times, us running an article that argues one side of something and then an article that argues the opposite.

Good argument is intended to persuade another.

Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion. This is not a function of any other art.

There is no meaningful or persuasive constitutional distinction between semiautomatic handguns and semiautomatic rifles.

There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers.

Scientists disagree among themselves but they never fight over their disagreements. They argue about evidence or go out and seek new evidence. Much the same is true of philosophers, historians and literary critics.

The philosophers of the Middle Ages demonstrated both that the Earth did not exist and also that it was flat. Today they are still arguing about whether the world exists, but they no longer dispute about whether it is flat.

I was interested in philosophy before I knew I was. That's to say, when I was at school, I used to argue with my friends about issues that turned out to be philosophical ones of some kind.

You know, I've taught philosophy for years and one argues in the hypothetical all the time.

I'm interested in continuing our conversation about the discomfiture I picked up in the mainstream media with one particular element of this debate. It was this discomfort with a law against adultery.

You can see it on the Internet: There's an argument going on continually about, 'What is folk music?' And I don't really want to get involved in that. It's an endless argument, a 'How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?' kind of argument.

Alcoholism is a disease. People will debate whether it is a disease of the mind, of genetics, or of circumstances. I don't have the answer to that debate, and frankly I don't care because when you try to pinpoint 'why,' it can often lead to blaming another person, an incident in your past, or circumstances.

A moral argument about whether censorship is good or bad deteriorates quickly into accusations about who is more or less patriotic, moral, pious, and so on.

This battle for 'common-sense' gun control laws pits emotion and passion against logic and reason. All too often in such a contest, logic loses. So, expect more meaningless, if not harmful, 'gun control' legislation. Good news - if you're a crook.

It's no secret that there are people who would like to narrow our discussions on climate change to a debate about pipelines alone in an attempt to divide Canadians - to pit workers against environmentalists.

There is no need for a wall from sea to shining sea.

I don't really wanna talk about politics, I'm not clever enough.

An extraordinary affair. I gave them their orders and they wanted to stay and discuss them.

As a woman of a certain age - and really, ever since I hit puberty and my baby-making parts were suddenly subject to public debate - I've been told over and over again that I will 'change my mind' about not wanting kids.

It seems the most common thing for serial interventionists to do these days is to lob the term 'isolationist' at anyone who does not agree with their latest folly, and then set up a straw man about those people not wanting to be involved in the world.

Many textbooks fail to present students with both sides of an issue. Students are being pushed toward an education that demonizes free enterprise while advocating top-down government, deficit spending and class warfare.

Global warming is a political issue. It is as much a political issue to the left as abortion is. It's as big a political issue as health care is.

The idea that global warming is the most important problem facing the world is total nonsense and is doing a lot of harm.

I'm absolutely convinced that the very small global warming we are experiencing is the result of natural causes. It's a cyclical phenomenon in the history of the Earth. The role of man is very small, almost negligible.