Our Spoken Language Enables Us to Think Together David Gurteen

Our spoken language allows us to do more than just share information — it enables us to think and reason together. Credit: David Gurteen People: David GurteenDavid Gurteen Keynote speaker, writer and conversational facilitatorBooks: David GurteenA Conversation Architect Designs Strategic Conversations David GurteenAPM Conference: Conversational Leadership David Gurteen (2016)Being Truthful Versus Telling the Truth David … Continue reading Our Spoken Language Enables Us to Think Together David Gurteen

How Can Groups Make Good Decisions? Mariano Sigman and Dan Ariely (2017)

video player How can groups make good decisions? | Mariano Sigman and Dan Ariely Mariano closes this talk with the . You can read the transcript below. Partial Transcript Good collective decisions require two components: deliberation and diversity of opinions. Right now, the way we typically make our voice heard in many societies is through … Continue reading How Can Groups Make Good Decisions? Mariano Sigman and Dan Ariely (2017)

The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason Reasoning was designed by evolution to help us win arguments

The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason | THUNK Reasoning was not designed to pursue the truth. Reasoning was designed by evolution to help us win arguments. Posts that link to this post Two Interesting Theories of Reason Social reasoning and the narrative paradigm What Are Cognitive Biases? Mistakes in reasoning, evaluating or rememberingTags: argument (35) | reasoning … Continue reading The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason Reasoning was designed by evolution to help us win arguments

Social Reasoning The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason

Gurteen Knowledge Blog   May 7, 2021, 15:34I recently came across a fascinating theory concerning the evolution of human reason known as “The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason”. However, I prefer to use the term “theory of social reasoning” or simply “social reasoning”. The theory proposes that the primary function of reason is not to improve our … Continue reading Social Reasoning The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason

Conflicted: Why Arguments Are Tearing Us Apart and How They Can Bring Us Together by Ian Leslie (2021)

In this book, Conflicted, Ian Leslie draws essential lessons on how to disagree well from world-class experts: interrogators, hostage negotiators, divorce mediators, diplomats, and addiction counselors. It tells inspiring stories of productive disagreements, from the invention of the airplane to the success of The Rolling Stones, and combines them with fascinating insights from the science … Continue reading Conflicted: Why Arguments Are Tearing Us Apart and How They Can Bring Us Together by Ian Leslie (2021)

We Don’t Have a Good Word for Engaging in a Non-hostile Disagreement Ian Leslie

We don’t have a good word for engaging in a non-hostile disagreement with the shared aim of moving the participants towards a new understanding, better decision or new idea. Debate implies a competition with winners and losers. Argument comes tinged with animosity. Dialogue is too bland. Dialectic is too obscure. We talk about argument as … Continue reading We Don’t Have a Good Word for Engaging in a Non-hostile Disagreement Ian Leslie

Imagine a Culture Where an Argument Is Viewed as a Dance George Lakoff and Mark Johnsen

Imagine a culture where an argument is viewed as a dance, the participants are seen as performers, and the goal is to perform in a balanced and aesthetically pleasing way. In such a culture, people would view arguments differently, experience them differently, carry them out differently, and talk about them differently. But we would probably … Continue reading Imagine a Culture Where an Argument Is Viewed as a Dance George Lakoff and Mark Johnsen

The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason We did not evolve to reason individually but to reason socially

Knowledge and Information ** The Knowledge Delusion Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter The argumentative theory of reasoning proposes that reason did not evolve to help us to reason individually but to reason together – in other words, socially. Reasoning is generally seen as the process of thinking about something to help us come … Continue reading The Argumentative Theory of Human Reason We did not evolve to reason individually but to reason socially

Conversation Covenant Creating a psychologically safer space for difficult conversations

Anecdote Circles Brainstorming Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter In challenging conversations, differing viewpoints can lead to tension and misunderstandings. A conversation covenant offers a structured approach to ensure respectful, constructive dialogue. By establishing agreed-upon guidelines, it helps create a safe environment for discussing even the most difficult topics. What is a conversation covenant? … Continue reading Conversation Covenant Creating a psychologically safer space for difficult conversations

Understanding Debates Argument is meant to reveal the truth, not to create it

Conversare Events The Dérive Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Debates are an essential part of communication, allowing for the exchange of differing viewpoints. However, understanding their various forms and purposes can be challenging. By exploring the structure and significance of debates, we can better appreciate their role in public discourse and critical thinking.   … Continue reading Understanding Debates Argument is meant to reveal the truth, not to create it

The Oracy Lab An experimental space for exploring the power and possibilities of conversations

The Power of Team Huddles Ongoing Performance Conversations Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter The Oracy Lab is an experimental space for exploring the power and possibilities of conversations and spoken communication for conveying meaning and co-creating a deeper understanding of the complexity and dynamics of the world. Oracy is the ability to speak … Continue reading The Oracy Lab An experimental space for exploring the power and possibilities of conversations

Oracy The ability to express oneself in and understand spoken language

Become a Conversation Architect Rhetoric Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter In education, considerable emphasis is placed on numeracy and literacy — understanding and working with numbers and reading and writing. But what about the capacity to listen and to speak? Why is so little importance attached to oracy? Is the ability to hold … Continue reading Oracy The ability to express oneself in and understand spoken language