Understand both sides of a debate fairly

Get the strongest version of each side of a contested question, with the evidence, values and cruxes that divide them.

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Prompt template
I want to understand the debate over: {{question}}. My current leaning (optional): {{leaning}}. Audience level: {{level}}.

Present it fairly:
1. **The question defined**: what is actually disputed, and what is agreed. Separate factual disagreements from disagreements about values.
2. **Strongest case for each side**: for the main positions (two or more), write the argument as its best advocate would, in 3 to 5 sentences, with the best supporting evidence or reasoning.
3. **Strongest objections** each side faces, and how each side typically replies.
4. **Cruxes**: the 3 to 5 specific facts or values that, if resolved, would change minds.
5. **Common errors**: weak or misleading arguments on each side that careful people avoid.
6. **How to judge**: what evidence to look for, and where reputable experts disagree.
7. **Questions for me** that help me clarify my own view.

Use even-handed language and equal effort for every side. Do not tell me what to conclude. Be clear where evidence is mixed or your knowledge may be dated, and do not cite specific studies or figures unless you are certain. If you are unsure about a fact, say so plainly. Never invent citations, quotes, statistics or URLs.
Example output
**What is disputed.** Agreed: admissions should identify students likely to succeed. Disputed (factual): how well tests predict outcomes beyond grades, and whether they disadvantage some groups. Disputed (values): how much to weigh predictive accuracy against access. **Case for requiring tests.** Grades vary across schools, so a common measure gives admissions officers a comparable signal, which can help identify talented students from less-known schools. **Case against.** Scores correlate with family income, tests narrow the pool, and grades already predict performance well; dropping them may widen access. **Objections and replies.** Pro-test side: if tests are removed, other measures like essays may be even more biased. Anti-test side: a small predictive gain does not justify the barrier. **Cruxes:** how much tests add to predictions once grades are known; how score gaps arise; what schools want from admissions. **Common errors:** treating a correlation as proof of bias or of merit. **Questions for you:** what outcome do you most want admissions to achieve?

Why it works

Asking for each side "as its best advocate" and for cruxes moves the conversation from winning to understanding. Use it before writing an argumentative essay.

Licensed CC0 (public domain) Version 1 · history