Honestly, I’ve seen a few different definitions for it, from an argument that’s just meant to br antagonistic, another is that it’s one where the one making seeks to win no matter what, another is where the person making it knows it’s wrong but makes it anyway.
Can anyone nail down what arguing in bad faith actually is for me? If so, that’d be great.
In: 647
Say both you and your friend have separate lemonade stands. Your friend advertises that “Dentist say lemonade is good for your teeth!” on the side of his stand. Your friend however knows this isn’t true. They made up the lie to sell more lemonade. They are arguing in bad faith because they know their argument is false.
You however take their argument at face value since you’re five and don’t know any better. You also set up a sign for your lemonade stand saying “Lemonade is good for teeth!” because you want more people to know the health benefits of lemonade. Even though you’re wrong, you’re actually arguing in good faith because you genuinely believe the argument you’re pushing.
Bad faith accusations are usually difficult to prove. If you’re lucky there might be text messages or e-mail of someone saying one thing while they’ve been publicly stating another but rarely will we ever see that. It’s a good critical thinking skill to consider how one might benefit from the argument they’re making. I’d rather get my teeth advise from a expert like a dentist than a lemonade seller with a conflict of interest.
Latest Answers