We are often told to judge things by their essence, rather than their form. However, as I read more ancient texts, I found the advice is quite misleading. The idiom is based on the observation that forms are just containers for some true thing in it. For example, words are means of conveying ideas, and orators are means of persuasion, etc. Form should comply with its content, isn’t it? Our dishes are made to place food, so their shapes is designed for that purpose. With that, we finish our lunch - the essence of a dish - and we are resting. The waiter came to collect the dishes, which remained intact. Food is nowhere(in stomach, maybe), but the dishes are still there. Forms can last longer than their contents. If we are open-minded to see antiquities in museum, we may be surprised to find there are too many armors, vases, or mirrors. The mirrors are as polished and clear as they used to be, but where’s the beauty whose profile echoed in them? Well, Mais où sont les neiges d’antan!
The essence of arguments is not so crucial; it’s their means of stating their points that we can learn from.