"The consequence of all people knowing how to argue effectively to resolve differences in personal, national, and international relationships is potentially a very powerful idea. Think of a country and a world where major problems are resolved through profitable argument instead of through confrontation, shouting orders, having arguments, fighting, or even going to war. You will often fervently disagree with other people. In fact life would be boring if you never disagreed. Yet, even when you disagree even when you decide to enter an ongoing argument, you can learn to use an argument style that is comfortable and natural for you. And that approach is preferable to the alternatives: either remaining silent or becoming involved in destructive arguments that solve nothing and that may even cause harm." --from Perspectives on Argument
Selected publications:
Essentials of Argument (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2006)