Our business is communication oftentimes through the medium of stories but our capacity has a far greater scope - to entertain certainly, but also to stimulate debate, to mark up changes and differences and that way, to maybe, just now and then, to change the world.

People need to learn the art of making an argument. Often there is no right or wrong. It's just your opinion vs someone else's opinion. How you deliver that opinion could make the difference between opening a mind, changing an opinion or shutting the door. Sometimes folk just don't know when they've "argued" enough. Learn when to shut up.

The more we are able to engage in enthusiastic disagreement with each other, the more we will be able to uncover the best in ourselves and each other.

If you put it as 'complex nervous systems' it sounds pretty deflationary. What's so special about a complex nervous system? But of course, that complex nervous system allows you to do calculus. It allows you to do astrophysics_ to write poetry... to fall in love. Put under that description, when asked 'What__ so special about humans...?', I__ at a loss to know how to answer that question. If you don__ see why we__ be special_ because we can do poetry [and] think philosophical thoughts [and] we can think about the morality of our behavior, I__ not sure what kind of answer could possibly satisfy you at that point....I could pose the same kinds of questions of you... So God says, 'You are guys are really, really special.' How does his saying it make us special? 'But you see, he gave us a soul.' How does our having a soul make us special? Whatever answer you give, you could always say_ 'What__ so special about that?

The only truths worth arguing about are those truths that could prevent or lead to circumstances that may bite us in the rear sooner or later.

He who cannot put his thoughts on ice should not enter into the heat of dispute.