eristic
/ɛˈrɪstɪk/
adjective
- Relating to or characterized by argument or debate, especially when the goal is to win rather than find the truth.
- The debate turned eristic, with each side more focused on winning than on understanding the issue.
- Teachers often discourage eristic behavior in class and encourage cooperative dialogue instead.
- His eristic style made him unpopular in group discussions because he only wanted to prove others wrong.
Antonyms
noun
- A person who engages in argument for the sake of winning, often using clever but misleading reasoning.
- In ancient Greece, some philosophers criticized eristics for valuing victory over wisdom.
- She avoided the eristic at the party because he always turned conversations into fights.
- The talk show host was an eristic who twisted facts to defeat his guests.
- The art or practice of disputation, especially with the aim of winning an argument.
- The textbook covered the basics of eristic, teaching students how to argue effectively.
- Some schools of rhetoric focused on eristic rather than on finding common ground.
- Eristic can be useful in a courtroom, but it often damages personal relationships.