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:Repetition in argumentation - Knowledge

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An immature and transparent debate technique is to pick a trivial quibble out of a substantive post, and reply with an objection about that irrelevancy while evading everything of substance. The original poster may well be justified in repeating a question or asking you to address the real issue if
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On the other side: if there's legitimately a lot of material to cover, remember that paragraph breaks exist for a reason, and so do separate threads with their own headings. No one wants to read a monolithic, 500-word block of text. And a list of a dozen issues that aren't closely related won't
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But even if you find yourself feeling the need to repeat yourself because someone is not addressing the points you made, even if justified in repeating yourself, it may be best to back off the discussion. Unlike some forums, there is no advantage to
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Occasionally, one finds editors who dominate a talk or process page in this manner. When one person in a well-discussed topic has provided a quarter or more of the posts (often comprising half the total verbiage), this may indicate a problem with
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can sometimes be useful, though assertions lose power each time they are repeated. Some editors may use this tactic effectively, but should avoid relying on it habitually or to excess, which may be taken as dismissiveness.
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In short, if you cannot handle a discussion with reason, respect for other editors, and a mind for resolution, then exit quietly or don't get into it in the first place.
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Someone using more words than you would have isn't an excuse to declare "too long; didn't read" when you really just can't muster a solid response. If you
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make it difficult to post responses people actually bothered to write, and even one massive post making 20 points when 5 would do hinders
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It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Knowledge contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of
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editor may feel their points are not addressed, but it may be only because other editors do not wish to deal with the repetition.
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In each case, the advice remains: "proof by repetition" is invalid, and repeating the same arguments does not help to achieve a
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an argument by posting point after point so that no one can keep up. This is especially disruptive on Knowledge; repeated
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The person who posts the greatest amount of repeated verbiage to a discussion is least likely to be correct.
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is the practice of repeating an argument or proposition until challenges to it "dry up", thus creating a
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don't have time to read and reply to something, then you don't have time to
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rather than valid discussion to wear down all those who disagree with you.
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to answer every argument, and are likely to ignore rehash.
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Other terms for it are "proof by repetition", and "
369:Knowledge essays introducing or defining new terms 258:When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. 255: 146:" – persevering in repeating the same premise. 122: 167:should be avoided on Knowledge's talk pages. 8: 309:not a chat forum of debate for its own sake 199: 285:, either. They add nothing constructive. 269:The assertiveness technique known as the 197:A related fallacious technique is called 222:An especially annoying variant is the 7: 56:thoroughly vetted by the community 52:Knowledge's policies or guidelines 25: 175:. It is frequently a symptom of 96: 33: 209:Knowledge is not a battleground 142:effect. This is also called " 1: 334:WP:Don't bludgeon the process 289:produce a useful discussion. 226:, in which someone tries to 182:The problem is akin to the " 18:Knowledge:Collect's Law 374:Knowledge behavioral essays 293:you are obviously dodging. 283:post snarky "TLDR" comments 390: 63: 27:Essay on editing Knowledge 192:Editors are not obligated 329:WP:Too long; didn't read 104:This page in a nutshell: 140:filibuster or stonewall 261: 200: 128: 339:WP:Don't be a fanatic 299:getting the last word 184:too long; didn't read 54:, as it has not been 120:'s law of repetition 252:First law of holes 132:Proof by assertion 349:List of fallacies 114: 113: 91: 90: 16:(Redirected from 381: 364:Knowledge essays 217:"drop the stick" 205: 100: 99: 93: 83: 76: 37: 36: 30: 21: 389: 388: 384: 383: 382: 380: 379: 378: 354: 353: 320: 271:"broken record" 267: 262: 254: 215:; see also the 177:tendentiousness 151:Bellman's proof 136:logical fallacy 129: 121: 97: 87: 86: 79: 72: 68: 60: 59: 34: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 387: 385: 377: 376: 371: 366: 356: 355: 352: 351: 346: 341: 336: 331: 326: 319: 316: 314: 306: 301:on Knowledge. 280: 266: 263: 250: 249: 247: 232:edit conflicts 162:repetition in 138:, and often a 116: 115: 112: 111: 101: 89: 88: 85: 84: 77: 69: 64: 61: 49: 48: 40: 38: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 386: 375: 372: 370: 367: 365: 362: 361: 359: 350: 347: 345: 342: 340: 337: 335: 332: 330: 327: 325: 322: 321: 317: 315: 312: 310: 307:Knowledge is 304: 302: 300: 294: 290: 286: 284: 278: 275: 272: 264: 260: 259: 253: 248: 245: 241: 239: 237: 233: 229: 225: 220: 218: 214: 210: 206: 204: 203: 195: 193: 189: 185: 180: 178: 174: 173:perseveration 168: 166: 165: 164:argumentation 158: 156: 155:Lewis Carroll 152: 147: 145: 144:perseveration 141: 137: 133: 127: 126: 119: 109: 105: 102: 95: 94: 82: 78: 75: 74:WP:REPETITION 71: 70: 67: 62: 57: 53: 47: 45: 39: 32: 31: 19: 324:WP:Consensus 313: 303: 295: 291: 287: 276: 268: 257: 256: 240: 221: 198: 196: 181: 172: 169: 161: 159: 148: 130: 124: 123: 103: 41: 224:Gish gallop 219:principle. 42:This is an 358:Categories 344:Filibuster 236:resolution 202:ad nauseam 106:Don't use 81:WP:BREVITY 244:consensus 213:a soapbox 153:", after 108:iteration 66:Shortcuts 318:See also 265:Caveats 118:Collect 279:really 188:prolix 228:"win" 160:Such 44:essay 211:nor 360:: 311:. 238:. 179:. 246:. 46:. 20:)

Index

Knowledge:Collect's Law
essay
Knowledge's policies or guidelines
thoroughly vetted by the community
Shortcuts
WP:REPETITION
WP:BREVITY
iteration
Collect
Proof by assertion
logical fallacy
filibuster or stonewall
perseveration
Bellman's proof
Lewis Carroll
argumentation
tendentiousness
too long; didn't read
prolix
Editors are not obligated
ad nauseam
Knowledge is not a battleground
a soapbox
"drop the stick"
Gish gallop
"win"
edit conflicts
resolution
consensus
First law of holes

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