[Neurons] 2018 Neurons #12 ARGUMENTS THAT SHUT-DOWN THINKING

[Michael Hall]

From: L. Michael Hall

2018 Neurons #12

March 5, 2018

Thinking is in Short Supply #7

 

ARGUMENTS

THAT SHUT-DOWN THINKING

        

When we want to make a point with someone, we arrange certain facts together
in order to make "an argument," that is, to "argue" for our point.  This use
of the word "argue" or "make an argument" refers not to "arguing" in the
normal emotional sense of the word.  It refers rather to a reasoned way of
thinking that is designed to bring another person to see and understand your
positions as well as to persuade the other person to agree with your
argument or your point.  This use of the term "argument" does not referring
to bickering, accusing, or disputing at all.   It is reasoning, giving
reasons, giving evidence, and making an appeal for a perspective.  And when
you do that, you make your way of thinking clear which goes back to the
Latin word, arguere "to make clear" from which "argue" and "argument" come.

 

Yet the two meanings of argue and argument are connected.  Typically, you
present your evidence for your point, but then the more you contend for it,
the more you debate, and then lecture, and then disagree, and then
eventually both parties in up making accusations and personal attacks.  We
all know that far too well!  In the end you are in a shouting match about
who's right and who's wrong and so you are now arguing in the most obnoxious
and aversive form of that term.

 

Now a good argument depends on several things.  First good evidence and then
the ability to clearly communicate your line of thinking that led you to
your conclusions.  It depends on an open mind that you could be wrong, that
you could not have the most relevant facts, and that your reasoning may not
be correct.  It depends on robust dialogue that listens, reflects, gives
sensory-based feedback, and adjusts as issues become clearer.

 

One of the ways that arguments go wrong and shut down thinking is when they
are based on fallacious reasoning and this is what you can see on any
evening on television or cable.  In fact, to me it is a wonder of the world
that such low level arguments continue night after night.  Anyone who
actually thinks about it for just a few moments can see that it is false
reasoning and that it is primarily propaganda and childish argumentation and
it's not going to lead anyone to a thoughtful consideration or change of
mind.  So why does it continue?  Probably for the entertainment value (!)
and because it delights the "true believers."  That's my guess.

 

Some people base their arguments by appealing to one or more cognitive
biases.  "As everyone knows how X is a racist.... you can expect ..." this
social appeal or bandwagon bias comes with an assumptive bias.  By labeling,
the person taps into the labeling bias (that words are the reality), and
therefore unquestioned.  We all tend to easily confuse words and labels with
the reality they refer to and often never even question the labels.
Intellectually we know that words are just words and labels are just labels,
but in the heat of an argument, we forget and respond to the labels
emotionally.  Call someone a name (and it does not have to be derogatory)
and all sorts of associations and assumptions come along with it.  Now
thinking stops and defensiveness begins!

 

Then there is the causation bias which is so easy to trigger.  Mention a
name or term and we stereotypically link all sorts of things with it and
also assume all sorts of very questionable causations. Thus, we think that
anyone advocating for gun rights must want or at least approve mass
shootings.  We think that anyone advocating for gun control must want or at
least approve of only criminals having guns.  We are assuming causation in
both cases, "If you do X, then that must of necessity mean that you want Y."
Of course, such arguments are fallacious and their appeal is wrong-headed.
We are assuming too much.

 

A bias that drives the majority of people is that of simplicity and
over-simplifying and so if you can tell a cohesive story, you can appeal to
how simple it sounds to them.  This is the narrative bias at its best and it
works best when there is less information because in that way you can make
an appeal based on simple causation and not have to answer questions that
arise due to other facts that do not so easily fit into the narrative.

 

Beyond the cognitive biases are the cognitive fallacies- the appeals based
entirely on fallacious (erroneous thinking).  Here a person makes an appeal
based, not on the reasoning, but on character (the person), or emotions, or
correlation, etc.  People appeal to an over-simplification of the other's
argument by creating a strawman argument which they then proceed to tear
apart which they easily do because it was a weak strawman argument.

 

We all make arguments for our ideas and beliefs.  It is how we attempt to
influence and persuade each other.  Yet we do not all make high quality
arguments.  Often our arguments are of poor or low quality.  And often we
learn to do that as we see and hear such low quality "arguments" in the
media.  A big problem is when our arguments utilize cognitive biases and
fallacies- that's because those arguments actually shut down thinking rather
than encourage it.

 

The next time you make an argument or hear one- consider, "Does this
argument encourage open exploration, dialogue, and respectful exchanges, or
does it seem to be shutting the down on conversation?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D., Executive Director 

Neuro-Semantics 

P.O. Box 8

Clifton, CO. 81520 USA                             

               1 970-523-7877 

                    Dr. Hall's email:
<mailto:meta at acsol.net\hich\af31506\dbch\af31505\loch\f31506> meta at acsol.net


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