Having tough conversations is a difficult art, but one expert's devised a solution.

American philosopher Peter Boghossian has been quietly touring New Zealand schools and universities teaching young people how to have healthy debate.

He says it's important to consider all perspectives and figure out what people believe before we leap to conflict.

"The most important thing is that you have to listen, you have to repeat back to the person, you have to understand what they believe and why they believe it, and only then can you have any kind of meaningful criticism." 

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