I just started studying argumentation. I can quickly see how knowing how to evaluate the strength of an argument (claims, evidence, inferences, warrants) can really help you build a case.

What I especially like about argumentation is that it helps you improve your thinking. I also like the fact that it helps deal with all the areas that are not black and white. Facts you can simply look up. It’s when there’s an argument about “what to do” that the power of argumentation really shines.

On blogging, one way I see people play it safe is writing from experience. It’s tough to argue with “in my experience …” It’s the shift from personal experience to generalizations where contraversy happens.

I’m a fan of agile goals and staying flexible. It really is about asking, “what’s the next best thing?” and “what do I want to accomplish?” If I’m prioritizing and changing goals based on outcomes, that’s one thing. Sometimes I find I need to shift from passion to self-discipline when the going gets tough. I learned long ago that sacrifice is the price of success and the key is internalizing the reward (such as a job well done.)

What is amazing is that we can choose any viewpoint we want to look at it and it totally changes the implications of how we see our behavior and how we shape any new behavior.