The Gish Gallop: Defeating Arguments Through Overwhelming Volume
Why making ten weak arguments beats making one strong one, and how to fight back
The Principle of Charity: Why You Should Make Your Opponent's Argument Stronger
Why demolishing weak arguments proves nothing and strengthens no one—least of all yourself
The False Dilemma That Shapes Every Political Debate
Why every complex issue gets reduced to two choices—and how to find the alternatives being hidden from view
Straw Man Arguments: How to Recognize When You're Fighting a Phantom
Beyond rhetorical sleight-of-hand: recognizing distortion patterns and responding without derailing dialogue
Why Strong Arguments Lose: The Hidden Role of Audience Resistance
Why your airtight arguments bounce off audiences who should know better—and what to do about it
The Slippery Slope: When Causal Chains Are Real and When They're Imaginary
Not every slippery slope is a fallacy—distinguishing real cascading risks from imaginary ones requires specific analytical tools
Equivocation: How Shifting Definitions Smuggle in Bad Conclusions
Master the art of detecting when arguments rely on shifting word meanings rather than genuine logical connections between premises and conclusions.
The Burden of Proof Trap: When Demanding Evidence Becomes Manipulation
Master the difference between legitimate evidence demands and strategic manipulation disguised as reasonable inquiry.
Begging the Question: The Circular Arguments Hiding in Plain Sight
Learn to spot arguments that smuggle their conclusions into their premises—and respond with precision instead of frustration.
Red Herrings: The Art of Changing the Subject Without Anyone Noticing
Master the techniques for detecting conversational diversions and gracefully steering discussions back to what actually matters.
Ad Hominem Attacks: When Character Actually Matters
Master the nuanced art of knowing when a speaker's credibility legitimately affects argument evaluation—and when it's just a distraction from substance.
Appeal to Authority: The Difference Between Expertise and Credentials
Master the conditions that separate rational deference to expertise from intellectual abdication disguised as humility.
The Argument From Ignorance: When Not Knowing Proves Nothing
Understanding why what we haven't proved tells us far less than we'd like to believe about what's actually true.
Why 'That's Just Your Opinion' Ends Every Debate Prematurely
How a seemingly humble phrase weaponizes philosophical confusion to escape the demands of genuine reasoning and evidence evaluation.