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Some arguments focus on the person
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and not what they're saying.
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A way to keep your focus on the discussion is to think of the sporting phrase:
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'play the ball, not the player.'
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It's hard to listen to people we don't like,
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and difficult to disagree with those that we trust and admire.
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But there's a difference between who a person is
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and what they're saying.
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For example, you might not like a particular fossil fuel company because
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of past illegal and unethical behavior.
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A smiling representative from the company comes on television and claims their
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chemical research division has discovered an environmentally friendly
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'clean' form of petrol.
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It's too easy to be suspicious of their actions. After all, you don't like them.
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They could be lying to make money.
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The company's history may imply its actions could warrant closer attention and further discussion.
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But you can't logically claim that they're wrong based on that argument alone.
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Linking your dislike with your disbelief
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is playing the player, not the issue.
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You can't be an expert on all things and how you feel about a person can be
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a tempting first step in deciding if you trust them.
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But arguments based on who you trust and who you suspect, just aren't valid.
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We turn to experts when we're looking for good advice. However, claiming a conclusion
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is logically true because an expert made the claim, is a poor argument.
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Climate change is not a concern because experts say so, it's a concern because the
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facts and the logic indicate that global warming is a sound conclusion.
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That doesn't mean that we should ignore experts,
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instead we need to ask questions to better understand the facts and the logic that
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they use.