How to Criticize with Kindness: Philosopher Daniel Dennett on the Four Steps to Arguing Intelligently

From Brain Pickings by Maria Popova

In Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking (public library) — the same fantastic volume that gave us Dennett on the dignity and art-science of making mistakes — he offers what he calls “the best antidote [for the] tendency to caricature one’s opponent”: a list of rules formulated decades ago by the legendary social psychologist and game theorist Anatol Rapoport, best-known for originating the famous tit-for-tat strategy of game theory. Dennett synthesizes the steps:
   

Daniel Dennett wrote:How to compose a successful critical commentary:

1. You should attempt to re-express your target’s position so clearly, vividly, and fairly that your target says, “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.
   
2. You should list any points of agreement (especially if they are not matters of general or widespread agreement).
   
3. You should mention anything you have learned from your target.
   
4. Only then are you permitted to say so much as a word of rebuttal or criticism.