The Ethics of Persuasion

With regard to ethical persuasion not only should the approach be honest but the issue under discussion should be one in which it is reasonable for us to be certain that the position we hold is correct. It is not sufficient for us to have a personal sense of certainty, nor is it sufficient to hide behind the consensus position, but we need to ask the question is it reasonable for us to have certainty with regard to this position given the amount of knowledge we have at this present point of time and more particularly our lack of knowledge. For if we try to persuade someone to our position and it turns out our position is incorrect then are we not now morally implicated in that persons predicament. That is why I am loath to give advice - I am happy to give people information and I am happy to let people know  on balance what my preferred position is but I always make sure that I will not be at all offended if they choose a different path - success is not my desired outcome. The only time I seek to persuade someone, where success is the desired outcome, is when I am certain that the position I am advocating is correct and I know that that certainty is appropriate. So for example in teaching GCSE History I know the skills being looked for in the mark scheme so I can with all confidence seek to persuade pupils to incorporate those skills in their GCSE answers because I am certain that is what is required and I have reasonable grounds for that certainty because I have access to the mark scheme. Likewise I can do open air evangelism because I am certain of what the Bible requires for salvation^[1] and I have reasonable grounds for believing that the Bible is a divine revelation from God. (Hence my interest in modern miracles providing evidence for the Bible being a product of divine revelation.)