Chaïm Perelman
Chaïm Perelman was a man who thought and wrote a lot about how people argue with each other. He wanted to help people understand how to make really good arguments.
Think about it like this: If you and a friend are trying to decide what toy to play with, you might start arguing. One of you might say, "We should play with the racecars because they're more fun!" But the other might say, "No, we should play with the dolls because they're more interesting!"
Now, this is where Perelman gets interested. He would say that it's not enough to just make a point - you have to prove it too. So you might say, "The racecars are more fun because we can make them go really fast and crash into things! That's always hilarious." And your friend might say, "But the dolls are more interesting because we can have them go on adventures, solve mysteries, and learn new things."
Both of you have made some good points. But there's still the question of which toy you should play with. Perelman would say that the best way to decide is to use something called "reasoning."
This means that you should think carefully about each other's points. Ask questions, like "Why do you think that?" or "What makes you say that?" Then, try to come to a conclusion that makes sense to both of you.
Perelman believed that this kind of reasoning was really important not just for deciding which toy to play with, but for solving bigger and more serious problems too. He thought that by being good at reasoning, people could work together to make the world a better place.
Think about it like this: If you and a friend are trying to decide what toy to play with, you might start arguing. One of you might say, "We should play with the racecars because they're more fun!" But the other might say, "No, we should play with the dolls because they're more interesting!"
Now, this is where Perelman gets interested. He would say that it's not enough to just make a point - you have to prove it too. So you might say, "The racecars are more fun because we can make them go really fast and crash into things! That's always hilarious." And your friend might say, "But the dolls are more interesting because we can have them go on adventures, solve mysteries, and learn new things."
Both of you have made some good points. But there's still the question of which toy you should play with. Perelman would say that the best way to decide is to use something called "reasoning."
This means that you should think carefully about each other's points. Ask questions, like "Why do you think that?" or "What makes you say that?" Then, try to come to a conclusion that makes sense to both of you.
Perelman believed that this kind of reasoning was really important not just for deciding which toy to play with, but for solving bigger and more serious problems too. He thought that by being good at reasoning, people could work together to make the world a better place.