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Steelmanning

M

Masterhawk

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Far too often, people on one side misrepresent what the other side is really saying, whether it be intentional or not. A straw man argument is an argument which does such. The point of debate is to reach the truth (or for the sake of the audience if not the debaters), strawmanning undermines this because you can't come to a good conclusion if you don't know what the other side is really calling for.

The alternative to strawmanning is steelmanning, looking at the main core argument of the other side as opposed to similar arguments which the other side isn't actually making. This will generally require you to actually do a bit of research into the other side as opposed to relying on info from people on your side.
 
Masterhawk said:
Far too often, people on one side misrepresent what the other side is really saying, whether it be intentional or not. A straw man argument is an argument which does such. The point of debate is to reach the truth (or for the sake of the audience if not the debaters), strawmanning undermines this because you can't come to a good conclusion if you don't know what the other side is really calling for.

The alternative to strawmanning is steelmanning, looking at the main core argument of the other side as opposed to similar arguments which the other side isn't actually making. This will generally require you to actually do a bit of research into the other side as opposed to relying on info from people on your side.
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Too much bother and work. I'll just dismiss their nonsense and move on.
 
Masterhawk said:
Far too often, people on one side misrepresent what the other side is really saying, whether it be intentional or not. A straw man argument is an argument which does such. The point of debate is to reach the truth (or for the sake of the audience if not the debaters), strawmanning undermines this because you can't come to a good conclusion if you don't know what the other side is really calling for.

The alternative to strawmanning is steelmanning, looking at the main core argument of the other side as opposed to similar arguments which the other side isn't actually making. This will generally require you to actually do a bit of research into the other side as opposed to relying on info from people on your side.
Click to expand...

how about factory-manning. which is when you help the other person improve their argument first, before you destroy it.

it makes demolition more fun afterwards :mrgreen:
 
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