A way to keep your focus on the discussion is to think of the sporting phrase: "Play the ball, not the player."

想將專注在論事上，下面這句運動諺語能時時提醒我們：「專注於腳下的球，而非你的對手。」

It's hard to listen to people we don't like, and difficult to disagree with those that we trust and admire.

聽信自己討厭的人說話著實不易，而要不同意自己崇拜和信任的對象說的話更加困難。

But there's a difference between who a person is and what they're saying.

但一個人所說的話和那人本身是有所區別的。

For example, you might not like a particular fossil fuel company because of past illegal and unethical behavior.

比如，你可能很討厭某家石油能源公司，因為他們過去的違法、不道德行徑。

A smiling representative from the company comes on television and claims their chemical research division has discovered an environmentally friendly "clean" form of petrol.

而該公司笑容可掬的公關在電視上宣稱，他們的化學能源部門發現了對環境友善「乾淨」的石油處理方式。

It's too easy to be suspicious of their actions. After all, you don't like them.

這樣的言論很容易讓你懷疑他們的動機，畢竟你不喜歡這間公司。

They could be lying to make money.

你懷疑他們可能為了賺錢而說謊。

The company's history may imply its actions could warrant closer attention and further discussion.

因為這間公司過去行跡不良，可能需要進一步的討論和檢視其行動背後的動機。

But you can not logically claim that they're wrong based on that argument alone.

但若只就該公司的論點來看，邏輯上你不能說他們是錯的。

Linking your dislike with your disbelief is playing the player, not the issue.

將自身好惡與信任與否和論點掛鉤，就像和對手意氣相爭，並非專注於議題本身。

You can't be an expert on all things and how you feel about a person can be a tempting first step in deciding if you trust them.

你不可能在各領域上都是專家，你如何看待一個人可能才是決定你是否相信他們論點的第一關。

But arguments based on who you trust and who you suspect, just aren't valid.

但以你相信還是懷疑一人來評斷其論點，是無法令人信服的。

We turn to experts when we're looking for good advice.

人們尋求建議時，會傾向相信專家學者。

However, claiming a conclusion is logically true because an expert made the claim, is a poor argument.

然而，只因某個專家發表了看法，就宣稱那個結果在邏輯上正確，是站不住腳的。

Climate change is not a concern because experts say so, it's a concern because the facts and the logic indicate that global warming is a sound conclusion.

氣候變遷需要關切不是因為專家說很重要，而是因為事實及邏輯指出全球暖化早已是個可靠的論證。

That doesn't mean that we should ignore experts, instead we need to ask questions to better understand the facts and the logic that they use.

不過這不代表我們應該忽略專家，相反的，我們需要提出問題，好更進一步了解他們參考的事實及邏輯推演方式。