In any situation, progress requires discussion among people who have contrasting points of view.

To claim that progress takes place only where people have contrasting points of view, as the author of the statement above does, is a fallacy of hasty generalization. Although, having contrasting view can be beneficial in making any progress, it has its disadvantages in some situation. Furthermore, we can also benefit from having aligned idea to make progress.

To begin with, the extreme measures of disagreement can provoke other fallacies that inhibit the learning. Consider ad hominem, which arguers apply to emotions rather than their logic. When a discussion became intense between two parties, an adversary might arise between them and instead of trying to defeat each other’s opinion, these people try to assault each other. Therefore, we see that in the extreme side of disagreements the author’s reason makes sense. Furthermore, one of the main pretexts of filibusters is through making a disagreement, whether true or not, to delay the progress of making of a law. Therefore, we see that contrasting points of view can hinder an enterprise without any progress.

Secondly, when the ideas are more aligned, there would be a lesser friction among the parties and progress would take place more readily. The advantage of having parallel views is that there would be lesser time needed to convince other people. As the last example stands for the argument, consider how the legislation would be in progress while the parliament is consisted more of agreeable thoughts.

However, we should also maintain that the oppositions, in a controlled and civilized manner, motivate each party to discuss with each other to the point that one side is convinced. Here both parties try to defend their views and try to seek the weak points of the opposite party. In doing that, both the convincing part and the convinced ones, win in the crucible of opposition, since both has learned something new of weak points and strong points of their positions..

Finally, the progress takes place where people discussed a comprehensive set of ideas. No matter how much the ideas are aligned or opposite to each other, if there is the freedom and the tolerance of listening to the opposite ideas, any advancement would be reachable. It is then that we see in the democratic societies there are always freedom of disagreements and discussions as it has been proven that the key to any progress is the sum of negative and positive ideas toward taking important decisions.

In short, as discussed, progress takes place anywhere that people can discuss with freedom and tolerate the others’ opposite ideas. Both parallel views and opposite views need to be involved in a discussion. Under the light of discussing any angle of ideas, advancements can be achieved.