Has an argument presented by someone on these forums ever changed your stand on a philisophical issue? If so, what issue was it and what was the argument that convinced you?

I don't think so, not on this forum. But arguments have shown that I was wrong about several things. Of course, an argument may show that you are wrong, and you still may not change.

Descartes proof of God.

Kant's division of the mind into the analytical and the synthetic and knowledge into apriori and aposteriori

Plato's forms as being distinct from the physical world.

Social contract theory trumping utilitarianism.

Freud's separation between consciousness and sub(un)consciousness.

Jung's Archetypes and his dream analysis

On this forum...hmmm, not in any major way that I can recollect just yet, but certainly in small nudges too wistful to be recalled.

__________________
http://www.poseidons.net/

I prefer the notion that the forum is to exchange views not to argue.
It is doubtful anyone changes a long held fundamental view about reality on the basis of a single reading or discussion. The forum does serve to better formulate, express and understand ones own views as well as the views of others and as a stimulus to reflection and investigation.

If you are a materialist or a determinist having an exchange with a process advocate or a free will advocate is not likely to change your views but it should give you a better understanding of other view points and a greater ability to defend and express your own.

It is not about winning an argument or changing someone else's view but greater insight and understanding.

__________________
The truth is easily vanquished but a well told lie is immortal (Mark Twain)

I don't see how people can rationally change another's view without argument except through force. Don't they have to give reasons why someone else should change his view? I think you just mean by "argument", "dispute" or, "altercation". But there is another meaning of "argument", which is just presenting reasons for a conclusion. It does not mean a fight. That is the kind of thing which is supposed to be done in philosophy. And should be done here.

A well crafted argument has often changed or altered an opinion of mine insofar that the opinion was not one of the bedrock opinions that comprise my identity. Those have changed gradually due to constant pressure of this or that like a river channel being redirected by the flow of the river.

__________________
Pink is not exactly the color of non-conformity......

If by "argument" one means reasoned discussion or logical presentation of views, I have no problem. I guess the term "argument" has a negative conotation for me without descriptive adjective. "reasoned argument" or "logical argument". Sorry.

__________________
The truth is easily vanquished but a well told lie is immortal (Mark Twain)

Yes. In many colleges logic is described as, "the study of argument". But that doesn't mean they study people disputing. It means logic is the study of the difference between good arguments which establish their conclusions, and bad arguments which fail to establish their conclusions.

The only person who changes my opinions (I would prefer the description "positions" here) is myself. From the discussions here, I have become more aware of different perspectives, and this awareness in itself (I do not mean to sound Hegelian) no doubt has modified some of my perspectives or positions, even when rejecting them.

__________________
Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.

Forum Links: Rules | User Control Panel | Video Tutorials | Blogs | Social Groups | FAQs

Then it was not exclusively yourself, was it?