Dialog tree
A dialog tree is a rhetorical tool used by people who want to steer the direction of a debate down a path that that the debater is more comfortable with. This word is borrowed from the concept in most RPG games you only ever get a few dialog options and the dialogee is only capable of answering a set of questions that are prepared.
Jeffs Dialog tree:
Jeff: I support the Trump wall because I love my country and I want to adequately protect our border. Do you hate america?
Mike: I love america as well and want to protect our border but I don't think the wall is a good way to achieve that since you can dig under walls and it seems very expensive.
Jeff: Immigrants mostly steal jobs from poor black people. Do you want black people to suffer?
Mike: Wait, I thought we were talking about the wall?
Jeff: How does it make you feel that immigrants are stealing jobs from poor black americans?
Jeff never addresses the questions Mikes questions or interprets them in way that will lead down a dialog path Jeff is familiar with
As opposed to:
Jeff: I love america and I want to protect our boarder and I think Trumps wall is a good way to achieve that.
Mike: I love america as well and want to protect our border but I don't think the wall is a good way to achieve that since you can dig under walls and it seems very expensive.
Jeff: I guess I didn't think about peoples ability to dig holes, but I'd still argue that it would dampen their influx.
constructive argument
Jeff: I support the Trump wall because I love my country and I want to adequately protect our border. Do you hate america?
Mike: I love america as well and want to protect our border but I don't think the wall is a good way to achieve that since you can dig under walls and it seems very expensive.
Jeff: Immigrants mostly steal jobs from poor black people. Do you want black people to suffer?
Mike: Wait, I thought we were talking about the wall?
Jeff: How does it make you feel that immigrants are stealing jobs from poor black americans?
Jeff never addresses the questions Mikes questions or interprets them in way that will lead down a dialog path Jeff is familiar with
As opposed to:
Jeff: I love america and I want to protect our boarder and I think Trumps wall is a good way to achieve that.
Mike: I love america as well and want to protect our border but I don't think the wall is a good way to achieve that since you can dig under walls and it seems very expensive.
Jeff: I guess I didn't think about peoples ability to dig holes, but I'd still argue that it would dampen their influx.
constructive argument