Yep. When arguing properly (as opposed to here, for example), I usually try to start with a common set of values or facts with my opponent--oftentimes just usin

Yep. When arguing properly (as opposed to here, for example), I usually try to start with a common set of values or facts with my opponent--oftentimes just using theirs for convenience's sake--and try to reason back to my own position. Rarely does this fail. When it does fail, it usually means that we both have an incomplete view of the world, or that there is some incorrectness in the chain of reasoning that becomes evident pretty quickly. Unfortunately, people usually prefer to take the (quicker, sloppier, more quarrelsome) route of "I have my facts, you have your facts, you are evil for believing <X,Y,Z>".