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 aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
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
People generally quarrel because they cannot argue.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them.
—Pierre Beaumarchais (1732–99) French Inventor, Diplomat, Musician, Fugitive, Revolutionary
When you have no basis for an argument, abuse the plaintiff.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
The only people who really listen to an argument are the neighbours.
—Indian Proverb
When you argue with your inferiors, you convince them of only one thing: they are as clever as you.
—Irving Layton (1912–2006) Romanian-born Canadian Poet, Lecturer
He would argue the moon was blue
—Unknown
Convincing yourself doesn’t win an argument
—Robert Half
I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.
—Edward Gibbon (1737–94) English Historian, Politician
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
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
Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation, all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not; but superstition dismounts all these, and erects an absolute monarchy in the minds of men…the master of superstition is the people; and arguments are fitted to practice, in a reverse order
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Never argue; repeat your assertion.
—Robert Owen (1771–1858) British Social Reformer, Philosopher
It is fair to hear both sides of an argument, it is heavenly to hear the end of it.
—Unknown
When you let someone else win an argument, often you both end up winners.
—Richard Carlson (1912–77) American Actor, TV Personality, Film Director, Screenwriter
He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
All the arguments which are brought to represent poverty as no evil show it evidently to be a great evil.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Be calm in arguing; for fierceness makes error a fault, and truth discourtesy.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
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
Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everyone in good society holds exactly the same opinion.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
No mistake is so commonly made by clever people as that of assuming a cause to be bad because the arguments of its supporters are, to a great extent, nonsensical
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
I have found you an argument; but I am not obliged to find you an understanding.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The formula of the argument is simple and familiar: to dispose of a problem all that is necessary is to deny that it exists
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
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
I find you want me to furnish you with argument and intellects too. No, sir, these, I protest you, are too hard for me.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
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
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
Neither irony or sarcasm is argument.
—Samuel Butler
Arguments derived from probabilities are idle
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
I am bound to furnish my antagonists with arguments, but not with comprehension.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Nothing requires a greater effort of thought than arguments to justify the rule of non-thought.
—Milan Kundera (b.1929) Czech Novelist
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
Nay, if he take you in hand, sir, with an argument, He’ll bray you in a mortar.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
A lot of good arguments are spoiled by some fool who knows what he is talking about.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always vulgar, and often convincing.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he’s talking about.
—Sam Ewing (b.1949) American Sportsperson
Don’t take the wrong side of an argument just because your opponent has taken the right side.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
In an argument the best weapon to hold is your tongue.
—Indian Proverb
Lower your voice and strengthen your argument.
—Unknown
If men wound you with injuries, meet them with patience: hasty words rankle the wound, soft language dresses it, forgiveness cures it, and oblivion takes away the scar. It is more noble by silence to avoid an injury than by argument to overcome it.
—Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) English Dramatist
Fear not those who argue but those who dodge.
—Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830–1916) Austrian Novelist
Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up
—Donald Rumsfeld (1932–2021) U.S. Secretary of Defense
Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Arguments, like men are often pretenders
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is not hungry always gets the best of the argument.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
A husband & wife in Montana make it a point not to argue over anything not worth arguing about. Of course, this leads to some dandy fights over whether or not a subject is worthwhile.
—Indian Proverb