Motivational Quotes

Argument

With reasonable men I will reason; with humane men I will plea; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost.

- William Lloyd Garrison

Best Quotes about Argument

People generally quarrel because they cannot argue.

Chesterton, Gilbert K.

Argument, as usually managed, is the worst sort of conversation, as in books it is generally the worst sort of reading.

Swift, Jonathan

When good people have a falling out, only one of them may be at fault at first; but if the strife continues long, usually both become guilty.

Fuller, Thomas

It takes two to quarrel, but only one to end it.

Proverb, Spanish

I will name you the degrees. The first, the Retort Courteous; the second, the Quip Modest; the third, the Reply Churlish; the fourth, the Reproof Valiant; the fifth, the Countercheck Quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie with Circumstance; the seventh, the Lie Direct.

Shakespeare, William

The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it.

Howe, Edgar Watson

The most important thing in an argument, next to being right, is to leave an escape hatch for your opponent, so that he can gracefully swing over to your side without too much apparent loss of face.

Harris, Sidney J.

When two quarrel, both are in the wrong.

Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause.

Hugo, Victor

10.

Argument is conclusive... but... it does not remove doubt, so that the mind may rest in the sure knowledge of the truth, unless it finds it by the method of experiment. For if any man who never saw fire proved by satisfactory arguments that fire burns. his hearer's mind would never be satisfied, nor would he avoid the fire until he put his hand in it that he might learn by experiment what argument taught.

Bacon, Roger

11.

Hear one side and you will be in the dark. Hear both and all will be clear.

Haliburton, Thomas C.

12.

Any fact is better established by two or three good testimonies than by a thousand arguments.

Emmons, Nathaniel

13.

In argument similes are like songs in love; they describe much, but prove nothing.

Prior, Matthew

14.

The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the right.

Hailsham, Lord Quintin Hogg

15.

When you argue with your inferiors, you convince them of only one thing: they are as clever as you.

Layton, Irving

16.

Quarrels often arise in marriages when the bridal gifts are excessive.

Auson

17.

It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle it without debate.

Joubert, Joseph

18.

The difficult part in an argument is not to defend one's opinion, but rather to know it.

Maurois, Andre

19.

Soft words are hard arguments.

Fuller, Thomas

20.

There's nothing I like less than bad arguments for a view that I hold dear.

Dennett, Daniel

21.

There is no arguing with him, for if his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it.

Goldsmith, Oliver

22.

I tell you Wellington is a bad general, the English are bad soldiers; we will settle this matter by lunch time.

Bonaparte, Napoleon

23.

No matter what side of the argument you are on, you always find people on your side that you wish were on the other.

Jascha Heifetz

24.

Whenever you argue with another wiser than yourself in order that others may admire your wisdom, they will discover your ignorance.

Saadi

25.

Weakness on both sides is, the motto of all quarrels.

Voltaire

26.

Two dogs strive for a bone and the third one runs off with it.

Proverb

27.

Most quarrels amplify a misunderstanding.

Gide, Andre

28.

The purely agitation attitude is not good enough for a detailed consideration of a subject.

Nehru, Jawaharlal

29.

An argument is like a country road, you never know where it is going to lead.

30.

The Argument from Intimidation is a confession of intellectual impotence.

Ayn Rand

31.

With reasonable men I will reason; with humane men I will plea; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost.

William Lloyd Garrison

32.

There are two things which cannot be attacked in front: ignorance and narrow-mindedness. They can only be shaken by the simple development of the contrary qualities. They will not bear discussion.

Acton, Lord

33.

The argument of the strongest is always the best.

La Fontaine, Jean De

34.

Wise men argue cases, fools decide them.

Anacharsis

35.

Neither irony or sarcasm is argument.

Butler, Samuel

36.

Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is not hungry always gets the best of the argument.

Whately, Richard

37.

Concerning God, freewill and destiny: Of all that earth has been or yet may be, all that vain men imagine or believe, or hope can paint or suffering may achieve, we descanted.

Shelley, Percy Bysshe

38.

We are not won by arguments that we can analyze, but by tone and temper; by the manner, which is the man himself.

Butler, Samuel

39.

Weak arguments are often thrust before my path; but although they are most insubstantial, it is not easy to destroy them. There is not a more difficult feat known than to cut through a cushion with a sword.

Whately, Richard

40.

We must not contradict, but instruct him that contradicts us; for a madman is not cured by another running mad also.

Antisthenes

41.

The long term versus the short term argument is one used by losers.

Adler, Larry

42.

I had a lovers quarrel with the world.

Frost, Robert

43.

The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments.

Friedrich Nietzsche

44.

In a heated argument we are apt to lose sight of the truth.

Publilius Syrus

45.

Most of the arguments to which I am party fall somewhat short of being impressive, knowing to the fact that neither I nor my opponent knows what we are talking about

Benchley, Robert

46.

If you argue with a woman and win, you lose.

47.

True disputants are like true sportsman: their whole delight is in the pursuit.

Pope, Alexander

48.

I can win an argument on any topic, against any opponent. People know this, and steer clear of me at parties. Often, as a sign of their great respect, they don't even invite me.

Dave Barry

49.

When all are wrong, everyone is right.

La Lehaussee

50.

If you go in for argument, take care of your temper. Your logic, if you have any, will take care of itself.

Joseph Farrell