0.6.4: How can I persuade the other side? (scientific skepticism)
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This article is from the Scientific Skepticism FAQ, by Paul Johnson Paul@treetop.demon.co.uk with numerous contributions by others.
0.6.4: How can I persuade the other side? (scientific skepticism)
This isn't a FAQ, but it should be! Originally this question referred
only to persuading skeptics, but of course the paranormalists are not
the only ones who need to learn how to argue.
* Be prepared to offer evidence. Ideally evidence consists of an
experiment I can reasonably do myself. Failing that, list articles
in peer-reviewed journals.
* Make predictions. These predictions should be specific and
surprising. For example a prediction that "crime will cause
concern" is not specific (it does not say who is going to be
concerned about what aspect of crime when) and it is not surprising
(someone, somewhere is going to be concerned about it). On the
other hand a prediction that "The British House of Commons will hold
an Emergency Debate on Juvenile Crime next month" is both specific
(it specifies an event which either will or will not happen) and
surprising (emergency debates on this subject don't happen every
month).
* Be prepared to look at the evidence presented by the other side. On
the other hand, if you claim as your evidence a paper that came out
in some obscure journal in 1903, don't be too surprised if no-one
goes to the expense of digging it out just to debunk it for you.
* Don't try argument by assertion. A statement such as "The evidence
for psi is overwhelming" will generate lots of queries asking where
this evidence may be found. Conversely the "extraordinary claims
require extraordinary evidence" line should only be used when
someone tries to shift the burden of proof.
* Don't try argument by authority unless the authority you are citing
is generally acknowledged as an expert on the subject. I might cite
C.S. Lewis in a debate on the nature of Christianity. I would not
cite him on the age of the Universe because he is not an authority
on that.
For more on how to construct a logical argument, see the talk.origins
and talk.atheism FAQs, both of which have extensive sections on this
subject.
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