Argument Quotes | Beyond Motive 2/3

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Argument Quotes

"Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand."

"Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand."

Colin Powell, American Statesman

Argument, Debate, Doubt, Leaders

42

"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

41

"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

41

"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

41

"Arguments, like children, should be like the subject that begets them."

"Arguments, like children, should be like the subject that begets them."

Thomas Dekker, English Dramatist

Argument, Arguments, Children

41

"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

41

"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

40

"You can make an argument that Bill O'Reilly is a conservative or a Republican. Bill's kind of unpredictable. Somebody might say that he would have been comfortable in the Democratic Party of Scoop Jackson."

"You can make an argument that Bill O'Reilly is a conservative or a Republican. Bill's kind of unpredictable. Somebody might say that he would have been comfortable in the Democratic Party of Scoop Jackson."

Brit Hume, American Journalist

Argument, Conservative, Party, Republican

40

"Convincing yourself doesn't win an argument."

"Convincing yourself doesn't win an argument."

Robert Half, American Businessman

40

"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

40

"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

40

"I remember having an argument with Alan, I said the Queen's not just going to call the guy up and send him out to do it. And Alan says, well, how would a monarch give orders to her assassin."

"I remember having an argument with Alan, I said the Queen's not just going to call the guy up and send him out to do it. And Alan says, well, how would a monarch give orders to her assassin."

Eddie Campbell, Scottish Artist

Argument, Queen

39

"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

39

"I do not have a brain that I long for in dealing with matters of which I am ignorant, that don't come within my ken and a rationale, a reason, and argument and so on, and I can't do that and I'm not in that bracket at all."

"I do not have a brain that I long for in dealing with matters of which I am ignorant, that don't come within my ken and a rationale, a reason, and argument and so on, and I can't do that and I'm not in that bracket at all."

Richard Attenborough, English Actor

Argument, Reason

39

"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

39

"The moment we want to believe something, we suddenly see all the arguments for it, and become blind to the arguments against it."

"The moment we want to believe something, we suddenly see all the arguments for it, and become blind to the arguments against it."

George Bernard Shaw, Irish Dramatist

Argument, Arguments, Blind, Want

38

"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

38

"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

38

"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

38

"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

37

"They believed that Britain was in Ireland defending their own interests, therefore the Irish had the right to use violence to put them out. My argument was that that type of thinking was out of date."

"They believed that Britain was in Ireland defending their own interests, therefore the Irish had the right to use violence to put them out. My argument was that that type of thinking was out of date."

John Hume, Irish Politician

Argument, Ireland, Right

37

"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

37

"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

37

"For if any man who never saw fire proved by satisfactory arguments that fire burns. His hearer's mind would never be satisfied, nor would he avoid the fire until he put his hand in it that he might learn by experiment what argument taught."

"For if any man who never saw fire proved by satisfactory arguments that fire burns. His hearer's mind would never be satisfied, nor would he avoid the fire until he put his hand in it that he might learn by experiment what argument taught."

Roger Bacon, English Philosopher

Argument, Arguments, Fire, Man

36

"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

36

"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

36

"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

36

"We must reinforce argument with results."

"We must reinforce argument with results."

Booker T. Washington, American Educator

Argument, Results

36

"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

36

"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

35

"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

35

"Given the difficulty of resisting such temptations over the longer run, a proper concern for the welfare of congressional souls may well be the ultimate argument in favor of term limitations."

"Given the difficulty of resisting such temptations over the longer run, a proper concern for the welfare of congressional souls may well be the ultimate argument in favor of term limitations."

James L. Buckley, American Politician

Argument, Concern, Difficulty, Limitations

35

"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

35

"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

35

"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

34

"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

34

"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

34

"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

34

"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

34

"A handful of soldiers is always better than a mouthful of arguments."

"A handful of soldiers is always better than a mouthful of arguments."

Georg C. Lichtenberg, German Physicist

Argument, Arguments, Soldiers

33

"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

33

"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

33

"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

33

"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

32

"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

32

"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

31

"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

29

"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

29

"In the discovery of secret things and in the investigation of hidden causes, stronger reasons are obtained from sure experiments and demonstrated arguments than from probable conjectures and the opinions of philosophical speculators of the common sort."

"In the discovery of secret things and in the investigation of hidden causes, stronger reasons are obtained from sure experiments and demonstrated arguments than from probable conjectures and the opinions of philosophical speculators of the common sort."

William Gilbert, British Composer

Argument, Arguments, Causes, Discovery, Investigation

29

"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

29

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