Drake wrote:
Schlumpfikus wrote:
Well it is assuming one has lost a debate as soon as one shows oneself as being offensive, prejudiced and/or non-logical.
These are all very subjective. Which is fine when it comes to your own personal code for when you decide someone is no longer worth your time, but not when making rules for others to abide by.
Well, of course you can't actually make rules which others should abide by because this would exactly be contrary to free speech, wouldn't it? This all also has to be taken with a grain of salt, after all Godwin's law is also somewhat ironic.
I mean, are you actually asking me (because I don't think the original post is) what makes someone lose a debate?
So, I don't know much about rhetoric (I just googled 'strawman arguments'

) , but okay: You say yourself that when people start their sentences with 'I have nothing against, but' they get accusing reactions and suddenly are forced to not discuss what they wanted to but to defend themselves, so indeed they are losing the debate in a way, aren't they? Which just proves my point.