Dennett on how to argue

In the previous post, I described a barely remembered fragment of Daniel Dennett's advice on how to argue coherently.  Turns out, the post I recalled was about how to criticize with kindness and offered a excerpt from his book, Intuition Pumps and other tools for thinking.

From the "How to Criticize..." link:

How to compose a successful critical commentary:

1. You should attempt to re-express your target’s position so clearly, vividly, and fairly that your target says, “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.
2. You should list any points of agreement (especially if they are not matters of general or widespread agreement).
3. You should mention anything you have learned from your target.
4. Only then are you permitted to say so much as a word of rebuttal or criticism.

Good advice for us all.
---
Not related but not quite worth a blog post of its own.
Vignettes of Famous Evolutionists.  Ah, the content is worth a post (or more) of its own, but I don't have much to add.  Follow the link to learn about masters of the field of evolution.

How to argue

Daniel Dennett has a book out, "Intuition Pumps And Other Tools for Thinking", that offers advice on how to argue.  Doctorow, of Boing Boing, quotes a bit that I agree with and one that I, as the point of this blog declares, do not.

Wonderful advice:

1. Attempt to re-express your target's position so clearly, vividly and fairly that your target says: "Thanks, I wish I'd thought of putting it that way."

Not-quite-so-wonderful advice:

A good moral to draw from this observation is that when you want to criticise a field, a genre, a discipline, an art form …don't waste your time and ours hooting at the crap! Go after the good stuff or leave it alone.

I gotta admit that I have heard the latter bit of advice from others and I am entirely willing to believe myself in the wrong.

This blog is dedicated to taking out the obvious bits of crap.  I want to hear the good arguments for Creationism and feel that trying to clear out the crap is worthy - at least of a blog that is updated once a month, if that.