Principle of Charity

[Guest]

I don't debate much on this forum, but I often do in non-internet life and on other online forums and I frequently need to remind myself of the following: 

https://effectiviology.com/principle-of-charity/

Address the best possible version of your opponent’s argument, even if it involves improving their argument for them (i.e. use steel man arguments).  If there is ambiguity in their arguments, don't assume the worst possible version and attack it.  If your opponent misspeaks, says something incorrect, or states something poorly and needs to clarify, don't harp on the mistake and ignore the fundamental point they are attempting to make; let them make their clarification and address the final point.  If your opponent gives three arguments, don't attack the worst one and ignore the better arguments (i.e. weak man).  Don't deliberately misrepresent their arguments and attack those misrepresentations (i.e. straw man).  

If you do the above, your opponents will respect you, even if they ultimately disagree, and will seek your thoughts.  You also may even influence others and help lead folks to other perspectives.  If you don't do these things, your opponents will not seek your thoughts, they will only engage you out of sheer frustration, and you will influence no one.  I used to take the latter approach and would try to hammer people for every mistake and didn't really care to understand their point of view.  I thought these were solid debate tactics.  I now recognize how ridiculous this approach is; it actually leads to the opposite of what one is presumably after in a debate as the opposition just digs in deeper and no one learns anything.

 

[F250 28623]

Great advice but we're more into poo flinging around here.

 

[Doc Holliday 198]

23 minutes ago, F250 said:

Great advice but we're more into poo flinging around here.

 

It would be hard to grow out of this early prepubescent phase without help from mom and dad

[Guest]

22 hours ago, F250 said:

Great advice but we're more into poo flinging around here.

 

It's certainty easy to resort to poo flinging.  It's much less effort and more gratifying in the moment.  

I think there is more opportunity to apply the principle of charity in daily interactions and evaluations than in explicit debates.  For example, how does one view and evaluate their political/philosophical/religious opposition in general?  Do you focus on the low information sensationalist journalists who only care bout views and clicks as the representatives of the opposition or do you genuinely seek out the serious advocates who attempt to accurately represent both sides and articulate serious responses?  People like that are out there, but they aren't very popular as we tend to want either heroes or demons.  

Edited April 26, 2018 by Guest

[HOOK'EMHOOAH 1606]

Wasn't that the name of a shitty enigma song from the 90s?

[TwiceHorn 31087]

Please send this to Congress, every member, both houses.

[staboner 4955]

Principle of Charities should starts

[Walden Ponderer 12639]

I blame our overrated dumbass founding fathers who couldn't foresee the need to disincentivize the creation of political parties.