A Code of Intellectual Conduct for Effective Discussion

A discussion can involve multiple participants or be an internal reflection. To construct strong arguments and contribute to resolving conflicts on meaningful issues, one should adhere to the following principles:

The Fallibility Principle
- Acknowledge the possibility of being wrong.
- Accept that one’s initial view may not be the most defensible.
The Truth-Seeking Principle
- Commit to earnestly searching for the most defensible position.
- Seriously examine alternative positions and allow objections.
The Clarity Principle
- Ensure all positions, defenses, and objections are clearly stated.
- Avoid linguistic confusion and keep arguments distinct from unrelated issues.
The Burden-of-Proof Principle
- The responsibility to justify a position lies with the one presenting it.
- Provide supporting arguments when challenged.
The Principle of Charity
- When reformulating an opponent’s argument, present it in its strongest possible form.
- Give the arguer the benefit of the doubt regarding intent and implicit points.
The Structural Principle
- Arguments should meet logical requirements.
- Avoid contradictions, circular reasoning, or invalid deductive inferences.
The Relevance Principle
- Use only reasons that provide real evidence for the conclusion.
The Acceptability Principle
- Offer reasons that a mature, rational person is likely to accept.
- Ensure the reasons meet standard criteria of acceptability.
The Sufficiency Principle
- Present enough relevant and acceptable reasons to justify the conclusion.
The Rebuttal Principle

Address serious criticisms of the argument or position.

The Suspension-of-Judgment Principle

If no position is adequately defended, or multiple positions are equally strong, suspend judgment.
If immediate action is required, weigh the relative consequences before deciding.

The Resolution Principle

Consider an issue resolved if one position has a sound argument with sufficient, relevant, and acceptable reasons, plus effective rebuttals.
If a flaw is later found, the issue should be reconsidered.

The first three principles—Fallibility, Truth-Seeking, and Clarity—are widely recognized as fundamental to serious intellectual inquiry.