Pseudo-Arguments

The book describes multiple forms of pseudo-arguments, and I have to say I've had experience with all of them. In particular, I have intentionally put myself into the position of fanatical skeptic on multiple occations. For three years in middle school, I argued with a friend about whether or not a tree falling in the middle of the woods would make a sound if there were no one there to hear it. Cliche? Yup. Pointless? I guess. We didn't really have anything else worth talking about. With another friend, I argued whether or not I existed. I'm pretty sure that I do exist, but there's really no way of proving it. I find watching other people trying to prove what cannot be proven entertaining.

Because I do this so often, it's hard for me to imagine a fanatical skeptic who truly believes in what he is arguing. However, I have encountered many honest fanatical believers. Unfortunately, I think that I draw the fanatical believer out of people when I'm being the obnoxious skeptic. Typically, a fanatical believer does not expose himself as such until the other arguer makes a point that the believer can't find or doesn't want to think of a point against. Parental arguments that climax with, "Because I said so," are good examples of this. The most common one I deal with is when it's 7:30 pm and homework is done.
"Mom, can **name** come over tonight?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."

Pseudo-arguments are probably more common than real arguments in the teenage world.