Argument Quotes - Page 3

• The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.

  Joseph Joubert

  Inspirational, Victory, Intelligence

  "The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert". Book by Joseph Joubert, translated by Paul Auster, 2005.

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• But curb thou the high spirit in thy breast, for gentle ways are best, and keep aloof from sharp contentions.

  Homer

  Way, Spirit, Gentle

  Homer (1871). “The Iliad of Homer”, p.231

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• Neither irony or sarcasm is argument.

  Samuel Butler

  Sarcastic, Sarcasm, Irony

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• Concerning God, freewill and destiny: Of all that earth has been or yet may be, all that vain men imagine or believe, or hope can paint or suffering may achieve, we descanted.

  Percy Bysshe Shelley

  Believe, Destiny, Men

  Percy Bysshe Shelley (1994). “The Selected Poetry and Prose of Shelley”, p.207, Wordsworth Editions

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• A man lives by believing something: not by debating and arguing about many things.

  Thomas Carlyle

  Life, Faith, Believe

  Thomas Carlyle (1840). “Works”, p.161

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• 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

  Appreciation, Loss, Swings

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• If you go in for argument take care of your temper. Your logic if you have any will take care of itself.

  Joseph P. Farrell

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

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• The daughter of debate That still discord doth sow.

  Elizabeth I

  Daughter, Debate, Discord

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• It is the briefest yet wisest maxim which tells us to meddle not.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Wise, Maxims, Wisest

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• I can win an argument on any topic, against any opponent. People know this, and steer clear of me at parties. Often, as a sign of their great respect, they don't even invite me.

  Dave Barry

  Respect, Funny Inspirational, Party

  "Is Findlay’s water safe?". "The Courier" Interview, thecourier.com. February 15, 2016.

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• My wife was too beautiful for words, but not for arguments.

  John Barrymore

  Beautiful, Wife, Cute Funny

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• Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.

  John Milton

  Freedom, Giving, Liberty

  'Areopagitica' (1644) p. 34

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• When Jesus got the big questions, he didn't present arguments. He presented himself.

  Timothy Keller

  Jesus, Bigs, Big Questions

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• The Argument from Intimidation is a confession of intellectual impotence.

  Ayn Rand

  Intellectual, Liberty, Intimidation

  Ayn Rand (1988). “The Ayn Rand Lexicon: Objectivism from A to Z”, p.56, Penguin

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• It was completely fruitless to quarrel with the world, whereas the quarrel with oneself was occasionally fruitful and always, she had to admit, interesting.

  Soren Kierkegaard

  Positive Attitude, Interesting, World

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• When we would show any one that he is mistaken, our best course is to observe on what side he considers the subject,--for his view of if is generally right on this side,--and admit to him that he is right so far. He will be satisfied with this acknowledgment, that he was not wrong in his judgment, but only inadvertent in not looking at the whole case.

  Blaise Pascal

  Views, Sides, Judgment

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• Arguments are healthy. They clear the air.

  John Deacon

  Health, Air, Clear

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• Silence is less injurious than a weak reply.

  Charles Caleb Colton

  Silence, Weak, Silence Is

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• Debate is the death of conversation.

  Emil Ludwig

  Debate, Conversation, Contention

  "Dictionary of Quotations in Communications". Book by Lilless McPherson Shilling, Linda K. Fuller, 1997.

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• 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

  Truth, Stupid, May

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• A lot of good arguments are spoiled by some fool who knows what he is talking about.

  Miguel de Unamuno

  Humor, Talking, Fool

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• When you have no basis for an argument, abuse the plaintiff.

  Marcus Tullius Cicero

  Philosophical, Law, Abuse

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• In a debate, rather pull to pieces the argument of thy antagonists than offer him any of thy own; for thus thou wilt fight him in his own country.

  Henry Fielding

  Country, Fighting, Pieces

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• I tell you Wellington is a bad general, the English are bad soldiers; we will settle this matter by lunch time.

  Napoleon Bonaparte

  Lunch, Soldier, Matter

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• Be calm in arguing; for fierceness makes error a fault, and truth discourtesy.

  George Herbert

  Truth, Errors, Faults

  Jeremy Taylor, John Wheeldon, George Herbert (1768). “Sacred Prolusions: Or, Select Pieces from Bishop Taylor and Mr. Herbert. By the Rev. John Wheeldon, ... With a Preface and a Discourse on Rev.xviii. 21. By the Editor”, p.107

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