Sorry, how is that a straw man? I meant that comment perfectly sincerely. Publius raised the worry that “such distinctions are too complex for a not insignificant proportion of the public”, and my response simply explained that I expect this isn’t true of those who would be reading my post. I honestly have no idea what “standard” you think this violates. I think you must be understanding the exchange very differently from how I understood it. Can you explain your perspective further?
re: Bertram: thanks for the pointer, I hadn’t seen his post. Will need to find time to read it. From the quotes you’ve given, it looks like we may be discussing different topics. I’m addressing what is actually justified by utilitarian theory. He’s talking about ways in which the tools might be misused. It isn’t immediately obvious that we necessarily disagree. (Everything I say about “naive utilitarianism” is, in effect, to stress ways that the theory, if misunderstood, could be misused.)
I didn’t downvote, but I’d guess that Lauren and perhaps others understood your “Anyone sophisticated enough to be following these discussions in the first place should be capable of grasping this point.” to mean something like “If you, dear interlocutor, were sophisticated enough then you’d grasp my point.”
(Not confident in this though, as this interpretation reads to me like an insult rather than a straw man.)
Huh, okay, thanks. fwiw, I definitely did not intend any such subtext. (For one thing, Publius did not themselves deny the relevant distinction, but merely worried that some other ppl in the general population would struggle to follow it. I was explicitly expressing my confidence in the sophistication of all involved in this discussion.)
Sorry, how is that a straw man? I meant that comment perfectly sincerely. Publius raised the worry that “such distinctions are too complex for a not insignificant proportion of the public”, and my response simply explained that I expect this isn’t true of those who would be reading my post. I honestly have no idea what “standard” you think this violates. I think you must be understanding the exchange very differently from how I understood it. Can you explain your perspective further?
re: Bertram: thanks for the pointer, I hadn’t seen his post. Will need to find time to read it. From the quotes you’ve given, it looks like we may be discussing different topics. I’m addressing what is actually justified by utilitarian theory. He’s talking about ways in which the tools might be misused. It isn’t immediately obvious that we necessarily disagree. (Everything I say about “naive utilitarianism” is, in effect, to stress ways that the theory, if misunderstood, could be misused.)
I would genuinely appreciate an explanation for the downvotes. There’s evidently been some miscommunication here, and I’m not sure what it is.
I didn’t downvote, but I’d guess that Lauren and perhaps others understood your “Anyone sophisticated enough to be following these discussions in the first place should be capable of grasping this point.” to mean something like “If you, dear interlocutor, were sophisticated enough then you’d grasp my point.”
(Not confident in this though, as this interpretation reads to me like an insult rather than a straw man.)
Huh, okay, thanks. fwiw, I definitely did not intend any such subtext. (For one thing, Publius did not themselves deny the relevant distinction, but merely worried that some other ppl in the general population would struggle to follow it. I was explicitly expressing my confidence in the sophistication of all involved in this discussion.)