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One of my more used quotes. Page 35 on the document. > He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one ma
by smhmd 6y ago
One of my more used quotes. Page 35 on the document.
> He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side; if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion. The rational position for him would be suspension of judgment, and unless he contents himself with that, he is either led by authority, or adopts, like the generality of the world, the side to which he feels most inclination. Nor is it enough that he should hear the arguments of adversaries from his own teachers, presented as they state them, and accompanied by what they offer as refutations. That is not the way to do justice to the arguments, or bring them into real contact with his own mind. He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them; who defend them in earnest, and do their very utmost for them. He must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form; he must feel the whole force of the difficulty which the true view of the subject has to encounter and dispose of; else he will never really possess himself of the portion of truth which meets and removes that difficulty.
- Pinegulf 6y agoFoundation of the concept of 'Steel-manning'. I'd like to see this idea more wide-spread. Heck, i'd make it mandatory for positions of trust. Ability to see both sides.
- Reedx 6y agoAbsolutely. It would be amazing to see political debates (and discourse generally) where they're able to steelman each other's position and interact in good faith. That would have a profound effect on our democracy. Instead we get strawmen, soundbites and kayfabe. Somehow we've got to get away from this.
- klyrs 6y ago> Somehow we've got to get away from this. pssst put down your phone. Posted from my phone. Goddammit.
- tremoloqui 6y ago++ for suspending judgement when one doesn't properly understand the arguments on both sides. We could use some more of that.