• Goals
  • Describe steel man arguments.
  • Skillfully use these.

Steel Man Argument (What)

• Definition: This skill involves taking someone’s argument and reframing or reconstructing it in its strongest, most persuasive form before engaging with it.

• Analysis:

  • Argument: A conclusion plus one or more premises (facts) that justify it.

  • Persuasion: This is the process used to get actors (people or groups) to believe something or do something.

• Synonyms

  • Charitable Interpretation: Engaging with another’s argument with the most generous and understanding perspective.

  • Principle of Charity: A philosophical guideline that suggests interpreting arguments in the strongest form possible to promote constructive discussion.

Rationale

• Maximizes your chances of making the best decision (finding truth)

• Strongly enhances collaboration.

• Marks you as being open minded and humble.

• Gain deep understanding of someone else’s position.

• Maximizes your chances to shifting the auger’s beliefs or actions.

• If you reveal flaws with the argument, then you have done so when the argument is in its best form.

Steel Man Argument (How To)

Use active listening and Socratic Questioning.