Five Simple Steps: Rules of Engagement

Five Simple Steps: Rules of Engagement

The point of posting this is to explicitly state what Bill Bekkenhuis intends to do when he converses online. If you are not also doing this or something very similar, then Bill may or may not have any interest in engaging you as we are doing two different things.


There are three legitimate points of civil discussion.
1. Entertainment
2. Education
3. Persuasion


There are five core principles enabling informed, civil discussion:

1. Presumption of Positive Intent: Presume positive intent by all unless you can substantiate otherwise
2. Civil Discussion: Be civil (presumed by number one)
3. Cards on the Table: Be explicit regarding one's database of information
4. Assertions Supported by Evidence: Back up all factual assertions with links to the database
5. Assertions Supported by Reason: Use valid reasoning.


Links

Rhetoric (Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetoric

List of Fallacies (Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies

Persuasion (Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persuasion