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