Art of Always Being Right

A.C. Grayling is one of Britain’s best-known and best-selling media philosophers.

‘Keep this delightful essay at your side.’ Observer; ‘An instruction manual no one can afford to be without.’ New Statesman; ‘Drily witty.’ Alain de Botton, Sunday Telegraph; ‘Caustically witty.’ Spectator; ‘Warmly recommended.’ BBC Radio 4 Saturday Review

• The Truth (A C Grayling)Introduction (A C Grayling)The Art of Always Being Right1 Extension 2 Homonyms 3 Generalise your opponent’s specific statements4 Conceal your game 5 False premises 6 Postulate what has to be proven 7 Yield admissions through questions 8 Make your opponent angry9 Question in detouring order 10 Take advantage of the no-sayer11 Generalise admissions of specific cases12 Choose metaphors favourable to your proposition13 Agree to reject the counter-argument14 Claim victory despite defeat15 Use seemingly absurd propositions16 Use your opponent’s views17 Defense through subtle distinction18 Interrupt, break-up, divert the dispute19 Generalise the matter, then argue against it20 Draw conclusions yourself21 Counter with an argument as bad as his22 Beg the question23 Make him exaggerate24 State a false syllogism25 Find the instance to the contrary26 Turn the tables27 Anger indicates a weak point28 Persuade the audience, not the opponent29 Diversion30 Appeal to authority rather than reason31 This is beyond me32 Put his thesis into some odious category33 It applies in theory, but not in practice34 Don’t let him off the hook35 Will is more effective than insight36 The Vicar of Wakefield37 A faulty proof refutes his whole position38 The ultimate strategyAppendix I Appendix II Appendix III Afterword (A C Grayling)