Debate tactics

Moves people make in arguments: dodges, traps, and bad-faith patterns worth naming.

Answering an accusation by denying it, attacking the accuser, and recasting yourself as the real victim.

Burying an opponent in a flood of claims, too many and too fast to refute in real time.

An argument built so that denying the accusation counts as proof of the accusation.

Defending a bold claim by retreating to a weaker, related claim when challenged, then returning to the bold claim later.

Dismissing evidence that meets your demand, then demanding new, harder evidence.

Hounding someone with relentless, polite requests for evidence to exhaust them rather than to understand.

Demanding your opponent disprove your claim instead of supporting it yourself.