Walter Sinnott-Armstrong > Quotes

“The best way to reduce opponents’ overconfidence and make them open to your position might seem to be an overwhelming argument that shows them why they are wrong and why you are right. Sometimes that works, but only rarely. What usually works better is to ask questions—in particular, to ask opponents for reasons. Questions are often more powerful than assertions.”
― Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Think Again: How to Reason and Argue

“Take a pinch of belief in God, add a dash of desire to experience God, stir in emotion to taste, and you have a recipe for religious experience.”
― Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist

“Religious beliefs are sometimes based not on testimony by others but on religious experiences of the believer.”
― Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist

“God’s commands are arbitrary if He has no reason to command one act rather than another; but, if He does have reasons for His commands, then His reasons rather than His commands are what
make acts immoral.”
― Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist

“Religious experiences also occur only when emotions run high and only to those who were predisposed to believe.”
― Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist

“Anatol Rapoport, a mathematical psychologist who was famous for his insights into social interactions: You should attempt to re-express your target’s position so clearly, vividly, and fairly that your target says, ‘Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.’ You should list any points of agreement (especially if they are not matters of widespread agreement). You should mention anything that you have learned from your target. Only then are you permitted to say so much as a word of rebuttal or criticism.1 How many times have you heard or participated in a conversation that obeys these rules? Such guidelines have gone out of fashion recently, if they were ever followed.”
― Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Think Again: How to Reason and Argue

“To overlook extra possibilities is the fallacy of false dichotomy.”
― Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist

“Cynicism results from unrealistic expectations. If we expect an argument to be a knock-down proof that convinces everyone immediately on first hearing, then we are bound to be disappointed. Almost no arguments work like that. If we trim our expectations to make them more realistic, and if we are patient enough to wait for effects that take a while instead of demanding immediate capitulation, then we will find that reasons and arguments can have some influence.”
― Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Think Again: How to Reason and Argue