The Art of Argumentation: A Jewish Approach

Abstract

In today's world, people often malign and belittle their opponents to win an argument. This is made worse by the fact that we live in a post-truth age where it is difficult to distinguish truth from lies. This paper will demonstrate how to disagree positively and constructively using an approach from the Torah and Talmud. They teach us that it is important to respect diversity of opinion, possess humility and patience, and understand the viewpoint of one's debating partner. Moreover, one must engage in active listening in pursuit of the truth, eliminate the need-to-win strategy, and never resort to slandering or mocking disputants. The Talmud was not only centuries ahead of its time in the use of logical devices but also in how to have a beneficial exchange of opinions.

Keywords: constructive arguing, Talmud, certainty bias, humility, adversarial collaboration, logical arguments, Hillel.

JEL Classification: B11, D63, J78, K00, K40, M14, N00