Irwin, "It is characteristic of the eristic to think of some arguments as a way of defeating the other side, by showing that an opponent must assent to the negation of what he initially took himself to believe.
Students learned eristic arguments to "refute their opponent, no matter whether he [said] yes or no in answer to their initial question".
[4] Plato contrasted this type of argument with dialectic and other more reasonable and logical methods (e.g., at Republic 454a).
[6] He held that both lacked a "'useful application' ... that created responsible citizens",[7] which unscrupulous teachers used for "enriching themselves at the expense of the youth.
It is for this very reason that Eristic Dialectic must admittedly take victory, and not objective truth, for its selfish aim and purpose.