Quote:
Originally Posted by jjgallow
I thought that was quite a bit, disproving both of your only two points.
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Let me help you out a little: I'm sensing you're a bit new to this sort of thing, so I'm going to cut you some slack and give you a free tip or two.
1. Simply saying you've "refuted" a point without actually doing it isn't even annoying: it's just sad. Let me explain where you went wrong: refuting is actually a two-step process. It begins with
a. Understanding the argument. You must correctly construe and comprehend the argument that your opponent made. If you fail on this point, you can't really get anywhere.
b. Presenting evidence or logical reasoning to illustrate why the argument fails/is false. This is generally harder, and people try all kinds of shortcuts--these are known as "fallacies." You've already used a couple in this very thread--but they're things like "the ad hominem fallacy" or "begging the question" or your favourite, the "appeal to authority."
You're still back on step 1. So go back, read what I wrote again and give it another try. You'll get there--it just takes patience, hard work and a little critical thinking. You may find it helpful to get rid of your confirmation bias first.