The Art of Always Being Right by A.C. Grayling Summary
Overview
Ever wondered why some people always win arguments? Schopenhauer's controversial guide, edited by Grayling, reveals 38 devious rhetorical tactics that Boris Johnson endorses and the Financial Times warns readers about. Master the dark art that made the Observer recommend "keep this delightful essay at your side."
- Schopenhauer's 38 stratagems teach winning arguments through psychological manipulation tactics.
- The Art of Always Being Right prioritizes victory over truth.
- Grayling edits Schopenhauer's classic treatise on rhetorical persuasion techniques.
- Confidence and assertiveness often outweigh factual correctness in debates.
- Making your opponent angry exposes their weakest argumentative positions.
- Defensive maneuvers protect your stance by preemptively addressing weaknesses.
- Eristic dialectic focuses on winning controversy rather than discovering truth.
- Analogies create mental shortcuts that strengthen your argument's perceived validity.
- Deflection redirects difficult questions away from vulnerable positions effectively.
- Undermining opponent credibility shifts focus from arguments to personal inadequacies.
- The Art of Always Being Right reveals how rhetoric trumps logic.
- Schopenhauer's work teaches claiming victory even when defeated in debate.
About the Author
Anthony Clifford Grayling is a British philosopher, author, and editor of The Art of Always Being Right, a translation and presentation of Arthur Schopenhauer's classic essay on rhetoric and argumentation. Born in 1949 in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), Grayling is recognized as one of Britain's leading public intellectuals, specializing in philosophy, ethics, and the history of ideas. He served as Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London for two decades before founding New College of the Humanities in 2011.
With over 30 books to his name—including The God Argument, Democracy and its Crisis, and The History of Philosophy—Grayling bridges academic philosophy and accessible public discourse.
A former Guardian columnist and BBC presenter, he is a vice-president of Humanists UK and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. In 2017, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to philosophy. His works have established him as a trusted voice on reason, ethics, and critical thinking.
FAQs About This Book
There appears to be a confusion in the book attribution. Who actually wrote "The Art of Always Being Right"?
"The Art of Always Being Right" was written by Arthur Schopenhauer, not A.C. Grayling.
Who is A.C. Grayling?
A.C. Grayling is a British philosopher and author born in 1949 who has written over 30 books on philosophy, biography, history of ideas, human rights and ethics, including works like The Refutation of Scepticism (1985), What Is Good? (2000), The Meaning of Things (2001), The Good Book (2011), The God Argument (2013), and Democracy and its Crises (2017). He was Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London until 2011, when he founded New College of the Humanities.
What is "The Art of Always Being Right"?
"The Art of Always Being Right" is a completely separate work by Arthur Schopenhauer (a 19th-century German philosopher) that contains 38 stratagems or rhetorical tactics for winning arguments. The book has received mixed reviews with an average rating of 3.42/5.
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Key Themes in The Art of Always Being Right
Quotes from The Art of Always Being Right
The interest in truth gives way to vanity.
Modern media training explicitly teaches these ancient arts.
Political debates rarely seek truth - instead becoming exercises in tactical maneuvering.
Dialectic, in contrast, is the art of getting the best of an argument.
The dialectical battlefield isn't fair or noble - it's where human vanity, intellectual limitations, and will to power collide.
Characters in The Art of Always Being Right
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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