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What is a Devil's Advocate?

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Devil's advocate is the act of taking a position that you do not necessarily agree with for the purposes of argument. It is particularly associated with championing an unpopular position to explore a problem or decision.
The term stems from Catholic proceedings to decide if someone should be declared a saint. The devil's advocate is assigned the task of arguing against sainthood. Prospective saints tend to be popular figures, so arguing against them is an unfavorable position.
Overview: Devil's Advocate
Function
Decision Making
Problem Solving
Value
Exploring unpopular ideas such as challenging the status quo.
Related Techniques
Argument
Critical Thinking
Thought Experiment

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