Elenchus

ἜΛΕΓΧΟΣ

eh-LENG-kus /əˈlɛŋkəs/. The cross-examination that catches a contradiction. Socrates made it a method. Paul brought it to this rock.

The RecordΗ·ΑΝΑΓΡΑΦΗACTA{ymyh yrbd

PersonPhilosopherSophistNetSoundnessSageStandingPoints per hourDebates
Jim BobJim Bob hosts the Mixed Bag Panel and is a former libertarian who now rejects libertarianism. Religio (Worldview) Materialist (holds that only duties exist, not rights, and rejects materialism) 8.6 Philosopher, 0 Sophist, unranked Affiliations Hosts the Mixed Bag Panel show Style asks the same short question again and again ("where's a right?"), moderates by muting guests who talk over each other Points per hour 19.5 Philosopher, 0.0 Sophist Measured speaks in short bursts, asks a great many questions: 340 turns averaging 4.7 seconds, longest 30 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: antistrephon (1), clarification (1), explicit argument (1) 1 debate (Neos): Debate MELTDOWN: Worst Opponent Yet: Austin Peterson Libertarian Debate Vs Jay Dyer The whole record Jim Bob8.60+8.6—1Unranked19.5 / 0.01 debate Neos
PenelopePenelope is a 34-year-old designer and brand strategist from Vancouver who does design work for people starting businesses. Religio (Worldview) Other ("more of a spiritual person"; sees sex as a spiritual connection) 7 Philosopher, 1 Sophist, unranked Credentials interior designer, graphic designer, and brand strategist Affiliations Penelope Sloan Design; nella vision Argues by Argues from lived experience and counterexamples, with a socialisation account of how preferences form Style argues from long first-person accounts of her own career and relationships Points per hour 16.6 Philosopher, 2.4 Sophist Measured speaks in short bursts: 469 turns averaging 3.2 seconds, longest 26 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: explicit argument (5), clarification (1), distinction (1) Caught at: self-contradiction (1) 1 debate (Neos): HEATED Debate w/ Feminists. Wage Gap, Pro Choice ft. @MikeRashidOfficial The whole record Penelope71+6—7Unranked16.6 / 2.41 debate Neos
RiyadhRiyadh is a Connecticut-based political streamer with a full-time job who covers Middle East conflicts and co-streams with his older brother Myron Gaines. Religio (Worldview) Islam 6.4 Philosopher, 1 Sophist, unranked Argues by Separates three senses of "Christian country" (legal, cultural, historical roots) and argues only the last two Style mocks the opponent's position before and while rebutting it, presses for a right-or-wrong answer on one premise Points per hour 6.3 Philosopher, 1.0 Sophist Measured speaks in measured turns, asks often: 654 turns averaging 5.6 seconds, longest 40 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: direct answer (1), distinguo (1), evidence (1) Caught at: straw man (1) 1 debate (Neos): Muslim Twitter Triggered, Middleast Wars, Is America A Christian Country Debate With Sneako! The whole record Riyadh6.41+5.4—5Unranked6.3 / 1.01 debate Neos
Scott SmithScott Smith is a 69-year-old journalist, former missionary, and author of God Reconsidered who came to Gnosticism after decades of studying religions. Religio (Worldview) Eastern Orthodox (Gnostic / non- seeker, formerly evangelical missionary) 6 Philosopher, 1 Sophist, unranked Credentials training in journalism Affiliations attends Ecclesia Gnostica in Los Angeles, godreconsidered.com and the God Reconsidered Facebook page Argues by Historical-critical scholarship (Ehrman, Smoley) plus an evidential problem-of-evil argument and personal spiritual…, Gnostic dualism: a high transcendent God above an incompetent or evil demiurge, aeons/angels as intermediate powers, matter and embodiment as a condition we were "put into" Style recommends scholars' books in place of detailed argument, piles up lists of diseases and disasters to argue from suffering, closes with dry, self-deprecating irony Points per hour 10.7 Philosopher, 1.8 Sophist Measured speaks in short bursts: 725 turns averaging 2.8 seconds, longest 15 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: explicit argument (2), clarification (1), concession (1) Caught at: non sequitur (1) 1 debate (Neos): Jay Dyer Debate Vs Gnostic Scott Smith The whole record Scott Smith61+5—2Unranked10.7 / 1.81 debate Neos
KimberlyKimberly is a 30-year-old entrepreneur and lifestyle model, not originally from Miami, who works as a spiritual "guidance teacher". Religio (Worldview) Other ("a virtuous woman", "evolved traditional" rather than traditional) 4.6 Philosopher, 0 Sophist, unranked Style tells long, digressive stories and adds details for effect Points per hour 22.3 Philosopher, 0.0 Sophist Measured speaks in short bursts: 257 turns averaging 2.9 seconds, longest 18 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: explicit argument (1), peritrope (1) 1 debate (Neos): HEATED Debate w/ Feminists. Wage Gap, Pro Choice ft. @MikeRashidOfficial The whole record Kimberly4.60+4.6—1Unranked22.3 / 0.01 debate Neos
BreejBreej is an agnostic debater whom Dean Withers put forward to argue that knowledge is possible without God, and who defends a defeasibility theory of knowledge. Religio (Worldview) Agnostic 4 Philosopher, 0 Sophist, unranked Argues by defeasibility theory of knowledge (justified true belief plus a defeasibility condition), phenomenal conservatism about justification Style answers a question with a clarifying question about what its terms mean, tests his opponent with pop-quiz questions on logic Points per hour 38.7 Philosopher, 0.0 Sophist Measured speaks in short bursts, asks often: 122 turns averaging 3.0 seconds, longest 25 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: clarification (1), direct answer (1), fallacy spotted (1) 1 debate (Neos): @deanwithrs Gets DESTROYED In Heated Debate On God Then RUNS The whole record Breej40+4—4Unranked38.7 / 0.01 debate Neos
Bible Believer (caller) 2.4 Philosopher, 0 Sophist, unranked Measured speaks in short bursts, asks often: 31 turns averaging 2.6 seconds, longest 12 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: dilemma (1) 1 debate (Neos): Jay Dyer vs Pastor P Debate Orthodoxy vs Protestantism, Sola Scriptura and Church History The whole record Bible Believer (caller)2.40+2.4—10Unranked—1 debate Neos
Joel Olsteen (caller) Religio (Worldview) Eastern Orthodox 2.2 Philosopher, 0 Sophist, unranked Measured speaks in short bursts, asks often: 48 turns averaging 3.5 seconds, longest 13 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: aporia (1), framework objection (1) 1 debate (Neos): Jay Dyer vs Pastor P Debate Orthodoxy vs Protestantism, Sola Scriptura and Church History The whole record Joel Olsteen (caller)2.20+2.2—7Unranked—1 debate Neos
Chad O. JacksonChad O. Jackson is an independent researcher, construction-industry business owner and film co-producer in Dallas, Texas, who has written about MLK. Religio (Worldview) Other (neither Republican nor Democrat; believes most problems can be handled at the individual level) 2 Philosopher, 0 Sophist, unranked Affiliations YouTube, Instagram and X as Chad O Jackson Style asks short, pointed labelling questions and then waits for the answer Points per hour 15.1 Philosopher, 0.0 Sophist Measured speaks in short bursts: 132 turns averaging 3.6 seconds, longest 17 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: fallacy spotted (1) 1 debate (Neos): Debate MELTDOWN: Worst Opponent Yet: Austin Peterson Libertarian Debate Vs Jay Dyer The whole record Chad O. Jackson20+2—2Unranked15.1 / 0.01 debate Neos
Mike RashidMike Rashid is a guest on the podcast who describes himself as a disciplined man who works from 5AM and is dating one woman. 2 Philosopher, 2 Sophist, unranked Style asks short probing questions to pin down vague answers, acknowledges that the other side has a point before giving his own view Points per hour 8.6 Philosopher, 8.6 Sophist Measured speaks in short bursts, asks often: 352 turns averaging 2.4 seconds, longest 21 seconds, across 1 debate Best at: explicit argument (1), steelman (1) Caught at: hasty generalisation (1), no true Scotsman (1) 1 debate (Neos): HEATED Debate w/ Feminists. Wage Gap, Pro Choice ft. @MikeRashidOfficial The whole record Mike Rashid220—3Unranked8.6 / 8.61 debate Neos
Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: To the unknown god. What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. Paul, on the Areopagus. Acts 17:22–23

Palaismata (kill shots)

The throws that ended an exchange: an argument turned, a question forced, a point settled, each one upheld by the bench as decisive.

1 of 4

“… if the son is not equal to the father because he doesn't spirate, then the spirit has to also spirate. But nobody teaches the the spirit spirates or generates a person. So by your own argument, you subordinated the spirit…”

— Jay DyerantistrephonThe Catholicism or Orthodoxy DEBATE: Tim… at 1:32:38

1 of 4

“But you say you know how females think though. You did say that.”

— KimberlyperitropeHEATED Debate w/ Feminists. Wage Gap, Pro… at 2:59:03

1 of 4

“Same thing but flips for your end. No offense. Whatever you guys have is invisible.”

— IslaperitropeHEATED Debate w/ Feminists. Wage Gap, Pro… at 2:19:05

Skōmmata (zingers)

The most quotable gibes, and each one scored on the Sophist ledger. Sharp, and beside the point.

1 of 4

“I believe that God has confirmed and blessed the choice of those books.”

— Pastor Pbegging the questionJay Dyer vs Pastor P Debate Orthodoxy vs… at 44:31

1 of 4

“That's you you got the mindset of a woman. Women believe in intuition.”

— Cooleyad hominem@deanwithrs Gets DESTROYED In Heated Debate… at 23:32

1 of 4

“That's a p and also not p. You just contradicted yourself. That's what I said. We just didn't understand what I No. I did understand what you just said. You you just said that the laws of logic is conceptual.”

— Cooleymisrepresentation@deanwithrs Gets DESTROYED In Heated Debate… at 19:12

Stoa of fallacies (hall of fallacies)

Every fallacy the referee has caught across all debates, ranked by how often it turns up, with the worst example of each.

misrepresentation

1 of 60

“Jay refuses to condemn Thomas Aquinas as a pedophile. That's shocking. I hope all the Christian listeners, especially the Protestants listening, note that these heretics, Sam and Jay, are down with pedophilia.” — Daniel Haqiqatjou
Religion Debate: Islam vs Christianity, watch at 2:40:29. All 60 instances

ad hominem

1 of 49

“I don't call you, like, a basement dwelling retard that looks like you smell bad and you haven't taken a shower in a month. ... If you're gonna throw me your TV, you should take a shower, retard.” — Austin Peterson
Debate MELTDOWN: Worst Opponent Yet: Austin…, watch at 1:13:28. All 49 instances

straw man

1 of 24

“I don't care about your definition of power.” — Jake the Muslim Metaphysician
HEATED DEBATE: Jay Dyer Vs Jake Muslim…, watch at 1:27:50. All 24 instances

dodge

1 of 17

“No. I don't. Because I think that shit's boring, bro.” — Austin Peterson
Debate MELTDOWN: Worst Opponent Yet: Austin…, watch at 57:36. All 17 instances

self-contradiction

1 of 16

“I can't [can] be arbitrary when I wanna be arbitrary. I can't [can do] whatever the fuck. ... It's not a it's not a hard debate format, so I can do whatever I want.” — Austin Peterson
Debate MELTDOWN: Worst Opponent Yet: Austin…, watch at 1:00:26. All 16 instances

begging the question

1 of 14

“I believe that God has confirmed and blessed the choice of those books.” — Pastor P
Jay Dyer vs Pastor P Debate Orthodoxy vs…, watch at 44:31. All 14 instances

hasty generalisation

1 of 11

“… every Protestant does this gnostic anti matter [anti-material] reading into these texts. I know I used to be a Protestant.” — Jay Dyer
FULL SAVAGE DEBATE: Jay Dyer Vs Indiana…, watch at 33:47. All 11 instances

non sequitur

1 of 10

“That's not my position. When did I ever say that I'm an empiricist? Well, if you're a nominalist, you're an empiricist.” — Jay Dyer
HEATED DEBATE: Jay Dyer Vs Jake Muslim…, watch at 1:15:41. All 10 instances

Recently judged All the agōnes

Bill: So-crates. The only true wisdom consists in knowing that you know nothing.
Ted: That's us, dude.
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, 1989