THE PRINCIPLE OF RATIONAL DISCUSSION

- The need to repair arguments arises from our everyday discourse in which arguments often
are incomplete. To repair a person's argument is to clarify what he or she means so that it can
be evaluated.
To repair a person's argument is to assume the following:
1. That the person knows about the subject under discussion.
2. That the person is able and willing to reason well.
3. That the person is not lying.
The first principle points out that effective critical thinking requires an individual to have
knowledge about a variety of subjects, and to be willing to learn new things. One textbook
on critical thinking says that the most important need for good critical thinking is knowledge.
Criticial thinking skills in isolation from developing knowledge of a variety of subjects will
not be very helpful. Critical thinking provides rules about the way to think, but it will be
impossible to apply those rules correctly and meaningfully if you do not know about the
subject under discussion. The need to have a breadth of knowledge is one of the reasons
why colleges and universities require students to take a general education foundation for all
degree programs. The general education program (the University College Core Curriculum at
FSU) is designed to give you that breadth of knowledge.
The second principle speaks to the ability and willingness to reason well. I am convinced
100% that every human being has the ability to reason well. Critical reasoning is a natural
ability of all people, I believe, though some are better than others because they have practiced
it more. This course is designed to increase your practice.
While we all have the ability to think critically, all too often, however, we do not have the
will to do so. Critical thinking can be hard work. Sometimes in life it is easier to follow
one's emotions or to do what others expect than to reason about topics.
The third principles indicates that it is impossible to enter into a rational discussion with
another person if that person is lying.
If a person does not meet any of the above principles, then you should probably not waste
your time trying to repair the individual's arguments.