Argument Quotes | Beyond Motive 2/3

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Argument Quotes

"For your own good is a persuasive argument that will eventually make a man agree to his own destruction."

"For your own good is a persuasive argument that will eventually make a man agree to his own destruction."

Janet Frame, New Zealander Novelist

Argument, Destruction, Man, Will

16

"The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it."

"The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it."

Edward W. Howe, American Novelist

Argument, Satisfaction

15

"Lincoln had no such person that he could talk with. Often, as a result, he debated with himself, and he would draw up a kind of list of the pros and cons of an argument, and carefully figure them out, and he might test them in public."

"Lincoln had no such person that he could talk with. Often, as a result, he debated with himself, and he would draw up a kind of list of the pros and cons of an argument, and carefully figure them out, and he might test them in public."

David Herbert Donald, American Historian

Argument, Public, Result, Talk

15

"Don't take the wrong side of an argument just because your opponent has taken the right side."

"Don't take the wrong side of an argument just because your opponent has taken the right side."

Baltasar Gracian, Spanish Philosopher

Argument, Right, Wrong

15

"Any political agenda and organization which doesn't begin with personal responsibility is just half the argument. It's just not going to succeed."

"Any political agenda and organization which doesn't begin with personal responsibility is just half the argument. It's just not going to succeed."

Peter Coyote, American Actor

Argument, Responsibility, Succeed

15

"Bigotry and intolerance, silenced by argument, endeavors to silence by persecution, in old days by fire and sword, in modern days by the tongue."

"Bigotry and intolerance, silenced by argument, endeavors to silence by persecution, in old days by fire and sword, in modern days by the tongue."

Charles Simmons, American Author

Argument, Bigotry, Fire, Intolerance

15

"Arguments are healthy. They clear the air."

"Arguments are healthy. They clear the air."

John Deacon, British Musician

Argument, Arguments

14

"Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute."

"Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute."

Josh Billings, American Comedian

Argument, Arguments, Silence

14

"We are not won by arguments that we can analyze, but by tone and temper; by the manner, which is the man himself."

"We are not won by arguments that we can analyze, but by tone and temper; by the manner, which is the man himself."

Louis D. Brandeis, American Judge

Argument, Arguments, Man, Temper

14

"Neither irony or sarcasm is argument."

"Neither irony or sarcasm is argument."

Samuel Butler, British Poet

Argument, Irony, Sarcasm

14

"One could drive a prairie schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact."

"One could drive a prairie schooner through any part of his argument and never scrape against a fact."

David F. Houston, American Politician

14

"The best argument for mutual funds is that they offer safety and diversification. But they don't necessarily offer safety and diversification."

"The best argument for mutual funds is that they offer safety and diversification. But they don't necessarily offer safety and diversification."

Ron Chernow, American Author

Argument, Safety

14

"It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them."

"It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them."

Pierre Beaumarchais, French Inventor

Argument, Order

13

"Euclid taught me that without assumptions there is no proof. Therefore, in any argument, examine the assumptions."

"Euclid taught me that without assumptions there is no proof. Therefore, in any argument, examine the assumptions."

E. T. Bell, Scottish Mathematician

Argument, Proof

13

"If you feel yourself to be above the mass, speak so as to raise the mass to the height of your argument."

"If you feel yourself to be above the mass, speak so as to raise the mass to the height of your argument."

George Henry Lewes, English Philosopher

13

"A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good."

"A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good."

Rowan D. Williams, British Archbishop

Argument, Media, Public, Talk

13

"It is true that Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, after which there was a commitment to give 40 acres and a mule. That's where the argument, to this day, of reparations starts. We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover, and we never got the 40 acres. We didn't get the mule. So we decided we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us."

"It is true that Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, after which there was a commitment to give 40 acres and a mule. That's where the argument, to this day, of reparations starts. We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover, and we never got the 40 acres. We didn't get the mule. So we decided we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us."

Al Sharpton, American Politician

Argument, Commitment, Day

13

"When you let someone else win an argument, often you both end up winners."

"When you let someone else win an argument, often you both end up winners."

Richard Carlson, American Author

13

"I suppose I was very disappointed that I was injured during training for Korea. In fact, I had an argument with a grenade and it won, and consequently I was forced to come back to Australia for twelve months."

"I suppose I was very disappointed that I was injured during training for Korea. In fact, I had an argument with a grenade and it won, and consequently I was forced to come back to Australia for twelve months."

Peter Scott, English Artist

Argument, Fact, Months, Training

13

"The argument on the other side of special rights is completely bogus. It's bogus because you could make exactly the same claim about racial or ethnic or religious minorities."

"The argument on the other side of special rights is completely bogus. It's bogus because you could make exactly the same claim about racial or ethnic or religious minorities."

Tom Allen, American Politician

Argument, Rights, Religious

12

"If you dispute with me you will only quarrel with your bread and butter."

"If you dispute with me you will only quarrel with your bread and butter."

Francis Bond Head, Canadian Statesman

Argument, Quarrel, Will

12

"It's the duty of a lawyer to represent anyone for whom a responsible argument could be made."

"It's the duty of a lawyer to represent anyone for whom a responsible argument could be made."

Lloyd Norton Cutler, American Lawyer

12

"First of all, you can make the argument that there's no such thing as the past. Nobody lived in the past."

"First of all, you can make the argument that there's no such thing as the past. Nobody lived in the past."

David McCullough, American Historian

Argument, First, Past

12

"I'm not an idiot, Kenji. I have reasons for the things I say."Yeah, and maybe I'm just saying that you have no idea what you're saying."Whatever."Don't whatever me-"Whatever, I say again."Oh my God, Kenji says to no one in particular. "I think this girl wants to get her ass kicked."You couldn't kick my ass if I had ten of them.Kenji laughs out loud. "Is that a challenge?"It's a warning, I say to him."Ohhhhhh, so you're threatening me now? Little crybaby knows how to make threats now?"Shut up, Kenji."Shut up, Kenji, he repeats in a whiny voice, mocking me."

"I'm not an idiot, Kenji. I have reasons for the things I say."Yeah, and maybe I'm just saying that you have no idea what you're saying."Whatever."Don't whatever me-"Whatever, I say again."Oh my God, Kenji says to no one in particular. "I think this girl wants to get her ass kicked."You couldn't kick my ass if I had ten of them.Kenji laughs out loud. "Is that a challenge?"It's a warning, I say to him."Ohhhhhh, so you're threatening me now? Little crybaby knows how to make threats now?"Shut up, Kenji."Shut up, Kenji, he repeats in a whiny voice, mocking me."

Tahereh Mafi, Iranian Author

Argument, Conflict, Humor, Dialogue, Personality

12

"The conservative argument is that the economy is like the weather, that it just operates automatically."

"The conservative argument is that the economy is like the weather, that it just operates automatically."

Sidney Blumenthal, American Journalist

Argument, Conservative, Economy, Weather

12

"Most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do."

"Most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do."

James Robinson, American Filmmaker

Argument, Arguments

12

"I don't accept at all the quite popular argument that the press is responsible for the monarchy's recent troubles. The monarchy's responsible for the monarchy's recent troubles. To blame the press is the old thing of blaming the messenger for the message."

"I don't accept at all the quite popular argument that the press is responsible for the monarchy's recent troubles. The monarchy's responsible for the monarchy's recent troubles. To blame the press is the old thing of blaming the messenger for the message."

Anthony Holden, British Journalist

Argument, Blame, Old, Popular

12

"In one sense I feel that my book is a one-woman argument against determinism."

"In one sense I feel that my book is a one-woman argument against determinism."

Susan Griffin, American Writer

Argument, Determinism, Sense

11

"In Vegas, I got into a long argument with the man at the roulette wheel over what I considered to be an odd number."

"In Vegas, I got into a long argument with the man at the roulette wheel over what I considered to be an odd number."

Steven Wright, American Comedian

11

"I became the stage for the great argument between Nietzsche and Rousseau. I was the extra ready to take on all the roles."

"I became the stage for the great argument between Nietzsche and Rousseau. I was the extra ready to take on all the roles."

Jacques Derrida, French Philosopher

11

"My argument has always been that this is not an anti-Bush film, it's a pro-democracy film. And if Bush comes out on the wrong side of democracy, that's his problem."

"My argument has always been that this is not an anti-Bush film, it's a pro-democracy film. And if Bush comes out on the wrong side of democracy, that's his problem."

John Sayles, American Director

Argument, Democracy, Film, Wrong

11

"Never get into an argument with a schizophrenic person and say, "Who do you think you are?""

"Never get into an argument with a schizophrenic person and say, "Who do you think you are?""

Ray Combs, American Comedian

11

"I don't feel that an atmosphere of debate and total disagreement and argument is such a bad thing. It makes for a vital and alive field."

"I don't feel that an atmosphere of debate and total disagreement and argument is such a bad thing. It makes for a vital and alive field."

Clifford Geertz, American Scientist

Argument, Debate

11

"Be able to analyze statistics, which can be used to support or undercut almost any argument."

"Be able to analyze statistics, which can be used to support or undercut almost any argument."

Marilyn vos Savant, American Writer

Argument, Statistics, Support

11

"I mean the only thing that is hopefully good about us is after the arguments we can actually still face each other the next day or the day after and talk about something else and sort of get over it."

"I mean the only thing that is hopefully good about us is after the arguments we can actually still face each other the next day or the day after and talk about something else and sort of get over it."

John Deacon, British Musician

Argument, Arguments, Day, Talk

11

"At the conclusion of my argument I received very high compliments from the Chief Justice and later from other of the Judges. What they said I do not care to repeat."

"At the conclusion of my argument I received very high compliments from the Chief Justice and later from other of the Judges. What they said I do not care to repeat."

William Henry Moody, American Politician

Argument, Care, Compliments, Judges

11

"When a thing is said to be not worth refuting you may be sure that either it is flagrantly stupid - in which case all comment is superfluous - or it is something formidable, the very crux of the problem."

"When a thing is said to be not worth refuting you may be sure that either it is flagrantly stupid - in which case all comment is superfluous - or it is something formidable, the very crux of the problem."

Percy Bysshe Shelley, English Poet

Argument, May, Worth

11

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the right."

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the right."

Lord Hailsham, British Politician

Argument, Being, Right

11

"There are clear cases in which "understanding" literally applies and clear cases in which it does not apply; and these two sorts of cases are all I need for this argument."

"There are clear cases in which "understanding" literally applies and clear cases in which it does not apply; and these two sorts of cases are all I need for this argument."

John Searle, American Philosopher

11

"Nothing sways the stupid more than arguments they can't understand."

"Nothing sways the stupid more than arguments they can't understand."

Cardinal De Retz, French Clergyman

Argument, Arguments, Nothing

10

"To be able to bear provocation is an argument of great reason, and to forgive it of a great mind."

"To be able to bear provocation is an argument of great reason, and to forgive it of a great mind."

John Tillotson, British Theologian

Argument, Mind, Reason

10

"A day without an argument is like an egg without salt."

"A day without an argument is like an egg without salt."

Angela Carter, English Novelist

10

"The most powerful argument of all for saving open space is economics; in most states, tourism is the number two industry."

"The most powerful argument of all for saving open space is economics; in most states, tourism is the number two industry."

Jim Fowler, American Scientist

Argument, Economics, Open, Space

10

"Most of the arguments to which I am party fall somewhat short of being impressive, owing to the fact that neither I nor my opponent knows what we are talking about."

"Most of the arguments to which I am party fall somewhat short of being impressive, owing to the fact that neither I nor my opponent knows what we are talking about."

Robert Benchley, American Comedian

Argument, Arguments, Being, Fact, Party

10

"Capital punishment is the source of many an argument, both good and bad."

"Capital punishment is the source of many an argument, both good and bad."

Marilyn vos Savant, American Writer

Argument, Punishment

10

"Observe which side resorts to the most vociferous name-calling and you are likely to have identified the side with the weaker argument and they know it."

"Observe which side resorts to the most vociferous name-calling and you are likely to have identified the side with the weaker argument and they know it."

Charles R. Anderson, American Scientist

10

"Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is not hungry always gets the best of the argument."

"Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is not hungry always gets the best of the argument."

Voltaire, French Writer

9

"Could I interrupt here, because there is an alternative explanation, which you are particularly well placed to examine. You know the argument that it is the alchemists in the laboratories who invent the sweet new kits."

"Could I interrupt here, because there is an alternative explanation, which you are particularly well placed to examine. You know the argument that it is the alchemists in the laboratories who invent the sweet new kits."

E. P. Thompson, British Historian

9

"This band has never had an argument. It's just amazing."

"This band has never had an argument. It's just amazing."

Dave Edmunds, Welsh Musician

9

"If he who employs coercion against me could mould me to his purposes by argument, no doubt he would. He pretends to punish me because his argument is strong; but he really punishes me because his argument is weak."

"If he who employs coercion against me could mould me to his purposes by argument, no doubt he would. He pretends to punish me because his argument is strong; but he really punishes me because his argument is weak."

William Godwin, English Writer

Argument, Doubt

9

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