Thinking Methods

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How to Surrender No Premise

When disputing or discussing, it’s common to grant an opponent’s premise for the sake of argument. But we don’t always need to, and it’s not always desirable.

Take this example:

One who supports “Planned Parenthood” and the harvesting of infant body parts argues as follows:

“I thought that according to Christianity all babies go to heaven anyway. So why do you care?”

See what the person is doing? He’s not advocating for his own position, but seeking merely to reduce the Christian view to absurdity.

42 Philosophical Blunders

This page gives my answers to 42 of my favorite bad ideas in philosophy, along with my own condensed answers. It functions as an outline of much of my philosophical project, especially focusing on epistemology. Many future posts will elaborate on the points found here.

As you read the blunders, try quizzing yourself. If you know it’s wrong, can you explain the issue? Enjoy!