This is very context-dependent. Some hypotheticals are far enough from the real that it would be incorrect to extrapolate any results. Some map pretty well.
For the latter case, do the mapping and there can be no objection. When you say
One of the key threads of this post has been to not assume that you know where an argument is going. Just because someone is talking about an unrealistic situation, it doesn’t follow that they aren’t going to tie it back to reality.
I react with “great, this forum allows you to pre-emptively make your real argument. Tie it back to reality before I even have the chance to wonder whether this edge case has any utility.”
You can internally translate my “this is unrealistic” to “please tie this back to reality”. To the extent that you can do so, problem solved.
I guess I’m trying to point out how a particular mindset limits people. If someone has already pre-judged something a particular way, then it’ll always be harder to communicate with them and they’ll need someone to explicitly spell out things they could have figured out for themselves.
Hmm. This seems a lot like strategizing on how to convince someone (get them into a mode where they can figure something out for themselves), rather than simply sharing information or insights (by showing what you think you have learned).
Probably appropriate sometimes, but if I notice it, it’ll bug me and I’ll be less inclined to listen.
This is very context-dependent. Some hypotheticals are far enough from the real that it would be incorrect to extrapolate any results. Some map pretty well.
For the latter case, do the mapping and there can be no objection. When you say
I react with “great, this forum allows you to pre-emptively make your real argument. Tie it back to reality before I even have the chance to wonder whether this edge case has any utility.”
You can internally translate my “this is unrealistic” to “please tie this back to reality”. To the extent that you can do so, problem solved.
I guess I’m trying to point out how a particular mindset limits people. If someone has already pre-judged something a particular way, then it’ll always be harder to communicate with them and they’ll need someone to explicitly spell out things they could have figured out for themselves.
Hmm. This seems a lot like strategizing on how to convince someone (get them into a mode where they can figure something out for themselves), rather than simply sharing information or insights (by showing what you think you have learned).
Probably appropriate sometimes, but if I notice it, it’ll bug me and I’ll be less inclined to listen.