How to Disagree

March 24, 2022

hierarchy-argument

Paul Graham has a great piece on how to disagree with people in the best possible way.

He provides a hierarchy, with 7 being best:

  1. Name-calling

  2. Ad hominem

  3. Responding to tone

  4. Contradiction

  5. Counterargument

  6. Refutation

  7. Refuting the central point

The TL;DR here is to evaluate any argument you’re having with someone, and see where each participant is in the hierarchy, and work to get to refuting the central point.