That God cannot lie, is no advantage to your argument, because it is no proof that priests can not, or that the Bible does not
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
You know that’s a really good argument; my position is mistaken’, and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn’t happen
—Carl Sagan (1934–96) American Astronomer
The irrationality of a thing is no argument against its existence, rather a condition of it.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
The assumed instinctive belief in God has been used by many persons as an argument for His existence. But this is a rash argument, as we should thus be compelled to believe in the existence of cruel and malignant spirits, only a little more powerful than man; for the belief in them is far more general than in a beneficent Diety
—Charles Darwin (1809–82) English Naturalist
Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he’s talking about.
—Sam Ewing (b.1949) American Sportsperson
Nor knowest thou what argument
Thy life to thy neighbor’s creed has lent.
All are needed by each one;
Nothing is fair or good alone.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Myself when young did eagerly frequent doctor and saint, and heard great argument about it and about: but evermore came out by the same door as in I went.
—Omar Khayyam (1048–1123) Persian Mathematician
It is an excellent rule to be observed in all discussions, that men should give soft words and hard arguments; that they should not so much strive to silence or vex, as to convince their opponents.
—John Wilkins (1614–72) English Anglican Clergyman, Author, Administrator
Facts are God’s arguments; we should be careful never to misunderstand or pervert them.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
There’s nothing I like less than bad arguments for a view I hold dear.
—Daniel C. Dennett (b.1942) American Philosopher, Atheist, Author
Put the argument into a concrete shape, into an image, some hard phrase, round and solid as a ball, which they can see and handle and carry home with them, and the cause is half won.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Make sure you never, never argue at night. You just lose a good night’s sleep, and you can’t settle anything until morning anyway.
—Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890–1995) American Philanthropist, Socialite
Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Never into dispute or argument with another. I never yet saw an instance of one of two disputants convincing the other by argument. I have seen many on their getting warm, becoming rude and shooting one another.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
No one can persuade another to change. Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside. We cannot open the gate of another, either by argument or emotional appeal.
—Marilyn Ferguson (1938–2008) American Author, Editor, Orator
The soundest argument will produce no more conviction in an empty head than the most superficial declamation; a feather and a guinea fall with equal velocity in a vacuum.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Jokes of the proper kind, properly told, can do more to enlighten questions of politics, philosophy, and literature than any number of dull arguments.
—Isaac Asimov (1920–92) Russian-born American Writer, Scientist
Better than any argument is to rise at dawn and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup
—Wendell Berry (b.1934) American Poet, Novelist, Environmentalist
Fallacious and misleading arguments are most easily detected if set out in correct syllogistic form
—Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Prussian German Philosopher, Logician
In arguing, too, the parson own’d his skill, For even though vanquished he could argue still.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Where all is but dream, reasoning and arguments are of no use, truth and knowledge nothing.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
The most important thing in an argument, next to being right, is to leave an escape hatch for your opponent, so that he can gracefully swing over to your side without too much apparent loss of face.
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
Arguments, like men are often pretenders
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
It is impossible to win an argument with an ignorant man
—Indian Proverb
Rebuke with soft words and hard arguments.
—Common Proverb
When an arguer argues dispassionately he thinks only of the argument.
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) English Novelist
Behind every argument is someone’s ignorance.
—Louis Brandeis (1856–1941) American Jurist
Convincing yourself doesn’t win an argument
—Robert Half
The more humble a man is before God, the more he will be exalted; the more humble he is before man, the more he will get rode roughshod.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist