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EMPTY_HAND

                                              August 09, 2006

On playing an empty hand.


We all know the right way to do it:

  o  Study the subject throughly.

  o  Memorize your references.

  o  Anticipate your opponents arguments,
     and have counter arguments ready.


Often you just can't do that:
time may not allow.                           
                                           
         And then you're stuck             
         playing an empty hand.              I much prefer to tell      
                                             people I'm doing it,     
                                             if that's what I'm doing.
It's not that hard to                             
do in an informal debate:                         That doesn't make it 
                                                  any harder, really.
Put the other guy on the defensive.

Challenge sources.

Try to get the other guy to do the research.

Invent hypothetical scenarios:

  o  that might explain away evidence

  o  that illustrate why the position
     could be wrong, even if the facts
     are right.

Shift the grounds of the debate
from facts to values.


Make a guess that the
other side also has an        Assuming that
empty hand:                   the other guy must
                              have something
Note that most people         "because he seems
know, deep down, that         so sure" is a
there are problems            classic mistake.
with what they're
saying... try to get             Empty bluster
them to tell you what            and deluded
they are.                        ideologies abound.

   One variation: use               An aura of certainty
   silence to your                  is almost a guarantee
   advantage.                       of hidden problems.

   If you say too much,
   you risk giving your
   opponent something they     And grounds for dismissal
   can use to dismiss you.     can be completely irrelevant
                               to the real argument: e.g.
   And since most people       you can't lose an argument
   really know, deep down,     to someone who spells it
   where the flaws in their    "loose".
   own argument is, it may
   be more cost effective
   to encourage them to
   come up with them
   themselves.

   Silence -- or near silence --
   can be used to play on their
   insecurities, even when you
   don't know what they are.           Put them in
                                       Room 101.

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