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The debate about how to properly conduct a debate, which inevitably becomes a more heated and pedantic debate than the original one. It's when the argument shifts from the topic (e.g., "Is pizza a sandwich?") to the rules of engagement ("You're using an ad hominem!", "No, that's a tu quoque!"). It's the rhetorical equivalent of two lawyers arguing over courtroom procedure while the jury dies of old age. The goal is no longer to persuade, but to win by declaring the other person's entire mode of discussion invalid.
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