142 How to Win Every Argumentexcept that we have agreed to use words in a certain way. If
someone brings out the 'essences' behind your words to show
you what you really believe in, change the words.
'You claim to support freedom, but the whole liberal democratic system
has the essence of slavery. '
'All right. We'll call it slavery, then. And let it be clear that by "slavery"
we mean people voting as they wish in elections, having a free press and
an independent judiciary, etc. '
(This is an upsetting tactic. The accuser had expected the old image
of slaves being whipped on plantations to be carried over into the
new use describing the Western democracies.)Your own use of reification can be directed toward showing
that what people say they support involves them in supporting
your position. You simply take all of the abstract concepts, turn
them into real entities, and start demonstrating that their real
natures are in line with what you were saying.
You say that Cod exists, but let us look at this idea of existence. We can
talk about tables which have existence, chairs which have existence and
so on, but for pure existence you have to take away the tables and chairs
and all of the things which exist, to be left with existence itself. In taking
away everything which exists, you are left with nothing existing, so you
see the existence of your God is the same as non-existence.(He'll never spot that existence doesn't exist. After all, Hegel didn't.)The runaway train
A runaway train takes you speeding into the distance, but
unfortunately does not stop. This means that when you reach