Argument

"Ive heard old cunning stagers Say, fools for arguments use wagers."

"A knock-down argument; tis but a word and a blow."

"Or he might say: Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in wrangling argumentation, (saying to one another): "You dont understand this doctrine and discipline. I am the one who understands this doctrine and discipline." — "How can you understand this doctrine and discipline?" — "Youre practising the wrong way. Im practising the right way." — "Im being consistent. Youre inconsistent." — "What should have been said first you said last, what should have been said last you said first." — "What you took so long to think out has been confuted." — "Your doctrine has been refuted. Youre defeated. Go, try to save your doctrine, or disentangle yourself now if you can" — the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrangling argumentation."

"When Bishop Berkeley said, "there was no matter," And proved it—twas no matter what he said."

"Hed undertake to prove, by force Of argument, a mans no horse. Hed prove a buzzard is no fowl, And that a Lord may be an owl, A calf an Alderman, a goose a Justice, And rooks, Committee-men or Trustees."

"How agree the kettle and the earthen pot together?"

"Seria risu risum, seriis discutere."

"The very nature of deliberation and argumentation is opposed to necessity and self-evidence, since no one deliberates where the solution is necessary or argues argues against what is self-evident."

"His conduct still right with his argument wrong."

"And there began a lang digression About the lords o the creation."

"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."

"The brilliant chief, irregularly great, Frank, haughty, rash—the Rupert of debate."