In this article “38 Ways to Win an Argument” Schopenhauer lists different techniques to win an argument. These techniques are different than one would expect in the sense that they argue against the person making the argument instead of the argument itself. These unusual techniques question the persons’ credibility and uses the audience as a tool to also win the argument. The arguer does not use factual claims but instead attacks his opponent. The person using these methods attempts to create flaws in the opponent’s proposition where there might be any. If he succeeds, then he demonstrates his opponent’s view is not strong enough, even though it might be the strongest one from both. This can work but it can also fail. The other opponent plays an important role in this game. If the opponent is not experienced enough or knowledgeable enough in his preposition, then he will be defeated. But if the opponent is well informed and is astute enough to understand the techniques that the other is using, then he wont be defeated over these 38 techniques. One of these techniques is making you opponent angry (#8). It states, “Any angry person is less capable of using judgment or perceiving where his or her advantage lies.”
Synthesis
These 38 techniques to win an argument are not professional and are not adequate to use during a debate. I think that the significance about debates is the substance of the intertwining motives that leads to win an argument. When one wants to win an argument is mainly because it wants to prove its position. We want our opponent to acknowledge were he is wrong or were the misinterpretation lies. We want to succeed in terms of knowledge and not in terms of mockery. I also think that the majority of these techniques would not function if they were to be used in a written prose. I think that most of these techniques could function only when the opponent is present. And they probably also apply to only some arguments. One wouldn’t like to mock the other opponent that is defending the salary equality of women in the workplace, right? I presume it depends on the situation.
The only field that these type of techniques are right suited for are within personal arguments. For instance, an argument between brother and sister or between friends, but definitely not between father/mother and son. Applying technique number eight on this one could result in very bad consequences.