Dropping in late to note that I really like the meta-point here: It’s easy to get caught up in arguing with the “implications” section of a post or article before you’ve even checked the “results” section. Many counterintuitive arguments fall apart when you carefully check the author’s data or basic logic.
(None of the points I make here are meant to apply to Ben’s points—these are just my general thoughts on evaluating ideas.)
Put another way, arguments often take the form:
If A, then B
A
Therefore, B
It’s tempting to attack “Therefore, B” with anti-B arguments C, D, and E, but I find that it’s usually more productive to start by checking the first two points. Sometimes, you’ll find issues that render “Therefore, B” moot; other times, you’ll see that the author’s facts check out and find yourself moving closer to agreement with “Therefore, B”. Both results are valuable.
Dropping in late to note that I really like the meta-point here: It’s easy to get caught up in arguing with the “implications” section of a post or article before you’ve even checked the “results” section. Many counterintuitive arguments fall apart when you carefully check the author’s data or basic logic.
(None of the points I make here are meant to apply to Ben’s points—these are just my general thoughts on evaluating ideas.)
Put another way, arguments often take the form:
If A, then B
A
Therefore, B
It’s tempting to attack “Therefore, B” with anti-B arguments C, D, and E, but I find that it’s usually more productive to start by checking the first two points. Sometimes, you’ll find issues that render “Therefore, B” moot; other times, you’ll see that the author’s facts check out and find yourself moving closer to agreement with “Therefore, B”. Both results are valuable.