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
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
The more arguments you win, the fewer friends you’ll have.
—Indian Proverb
The most agreeable thing in life is worthy accomplishment. It is not possible that the idle tramp is as contented as the farmers along the road who own their own farms, and whose credit is good at the bank in town. When the tramps get together at night, they abuse the farmers, but do not get as much satisfaction out of it as do the farmers who abuse the tramps. The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
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
Where we desire to be informed ’tis good to contest with men above ourselves; but to confirm and establish our opinions, ’tis best to argue with judgments below our own, that the frequent spoils and victories over their reasons may settle in ourselves an esteem and confirmed opinion of our own.
—Thomas Browne (1605–82) English Author, Physician
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
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
For they are yet ear-kissing arguments.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Reproachful speech from either side The want of argument supplied; They rail, reviled; as often ends The contests of disputing friends.
—John Gay (1685–1732) English Poet, Dramatist
There is no good in arguing with the inevitable. The only argument available with an east wind is to put on your overcoat.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he’s talking about.
—Sam Ewing (b.1949) American Sportsperson
Fallacious and misleading arguments are most easily detected if set out in correct syllogistic form
—Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Prussian German Philosopher, Logician
A knock-down argument; ’tis but a word and a blow.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
In arguing one should meet serious pleading with humor, and humor with serious pleading.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
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
The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
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 Elizabethan Dramatist
Arguments out of a pretty mouth are unanswerable.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
If you must argue, the best way to win is to start by being right.
—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
For your own good is a persuasive argument that will eventually make a man agree to his own destruction.
—Janet Frame (1924–2004) New Zealand Novelist, Short-Story Writer
Behind every argument is someone’s ignorance.
—Louis Brandeis (1856–1941) American Jurist
Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everyone in good society holds exactly the same opinion.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Lower your voice and strengthen your argument.
—Unknown
In an argument the best weapon to hold is your tongue.
—Indian Proverb
I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.
—Edward Gibbon (1737–94) English Historian, Politician
We are not won by arguments that we can analyze, but by tone and temper; by the manner, which is the man himself.
—Samuel Butler
There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation.
—Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) English Polymath, Philosopher, Sociologist, Political Theorist
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