Honesty is the best policy..

-Coming from a place of sincerity will have a certain resonance to it. People recognize it and respect it. People are often a lot better at discerning disingenuousness than we sometimes like to believe. So the first rule is to remain genuine in every word and manner in which you represent your argument .

Know your facts..

-Before you can defend a perspective you have to make sure it is fully understood. In order to make a strong argument you will need to be certain as to what it is you are arguing, so ALWAYS always know your facts. Never engage in discourse without fully comprehending the subject matter which is in topic. It’s better to be quiet and considered a fool, than to open your mouth and prove it.

Have empathy..

-If you can not defend the other side of an argument, you lose. Not being able to come out of your own bias and view the subject from multiple perspectives is not indicative of a fair and rational mind. Not being able to acknowledge the other person's sense of reason and rationality will further widen the chasm of your discourse and potentially make things bitter.

Admit defeat..

-Never forsake the possibility that you are in-fact WRONG. Be willing to learn before you make any assertions. Here people out, listen before you speak. Because if you happen to find yourself to be incorrect or mistaken, then admit it! You never lose if you learn.

Know your enemy..

-Analyze your opponents use of rationality and reason. Get an understanding for how it is their mind forms and defends their argument after you have gotten an understanding of what their argument is. Listen to their rebuttals and body language. Listen to their tone, and listen to the words they AREN'T saying. So much of human communication is unspoken.

Lead them to the truth..

-If you happen to find that despite having done all of this, you still find yourself to be correct in your assertions, then try to lead the opposition to the truth through questions. Question their stance in a non-aggressive way which allows them to see the truth in the matter. Often this tactic is more effective at exposing a bias or intellectual dishonesty than rebuking with cold hard facts.

Know what battles to fight..

-Most importantly, you must know whether or not the discourse is worth it in the first place. Follow these simply guidelines and you will never lose IN any argument, because you can’t lose if you learn..

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