Presumption

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All communication - including all reflective discussions - must take certain truths for granted. In the context of deliberative conversations, we call these truths presumptions. Presumptions are claims that are generally taken to be true or implied to be true within the context (not from the actual content) of the deliberation. Another way of saying this is that we presume what we do not question. Presumptions are the claims or ideas that are not "in play" in the discussion. A classic example of presumption, though not in a dialogue, can be found in the Declaration of Independence. The second paragraph begins: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. . ." If the truths listed in the rest of this sentence are really self-evidence to the authors. then they are presumed in the document rather than argued for.

Identifying the presumptions in a discussion helps you focus on what the participants feel needs to be discussed, but that does not mean that you need to always accept what is presumed true. Indeed, a trademark of philosophical discourse is to call presumptions into question. As a matter of good conversational practice, however, you should be sensitive to the interests of the group to take the conversation in a particular direction. The first "move" in a discussion could be to call the whole presumptive framework of the discussion into question, but do not be surprised if you find that people get a httle frustrated with you if that is always your opening move. You should, of course. feel free to question presumptions, but accepting them at the outset of a discussion usually just helps you understand them better so that if and when you do question them, you have more clarity about what you want to say or write. It is also generally good manners!

Presumptions are partly determined by the interests of parties to the conversation, but they are also determined by the social and historical context of the discussion. For example, if we were having a discussion before 1971 about whether college athletes should be allowed to turn pro were held in 1971, the presumption of the discussion would be different from today. That was the year that the basketball player Spencer Haywood - who won a gold medal on the 1968 US Olympic basketball team - successfully sued for the right to play in the NBA without waiting for his college class to graduate. Today, most discussions of this topic presume that players should not be prohibited from turning pro; we just debate whether it is a good thing for them, for college athletics in general, or even for pro sports.