Maggie's Farm

Not just to be argumentative but, Seriously! I think your flow chart ignores some of the obvious problems in any argument even with rational people. Suppose for example that one of your arguments is “proved wrong” using selective data? I always love the response “look it up you will find 20,000 sites on the internet that agree with me”. Do you then cave in? I can find 100,000 sites on the internet confirming the existence of little green men but seriously does anyone believe it?
The there is the problematic “do not introduce new argument while another argument has yet to be resolved”. So while we argue over a red herring any substantive discussion on my part is off limits. All the opposition has to do is introduce a number of red herrings into the discussion and it will take 20 years to resolve them all.
I especially like the “provide evidence for your position or arguments”. A perfectly valid point, unless of course you provide 100,000 web sites that “prove” the existence of little green men. There are many things that are true but can be disputed or the evidence disputed. Have you ever seen the wind? Of course not you have seen something and you attribute it to the wind but I could spend a day frustrating you by disagreeing with your “proof”. There has to be a reasonable give and take and as soon as anyone in the discussion resorts to a nit-picking denial of accepted facts without “acceptable” proof then there is no longer a discussion. I have played that game before where you are asked for proof and no matter what your source or how much proof it is just not enough or not pure enough.