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