Talking about obviousness as if it was inherent in a conclusion is typical mind projection fallacy. What it generally implies (and what I think you mean) is that any sufficiently rational person would see it; but when lots of people don’t see it, calling it obvious is against social convention (it’s claiming higher rationality and thus social status than your audience). In this case I think that to your average reader the analogies aren’t obviously irrelevant, even though I personally do find them obviously irrelevant.
When you’re trying to argue that something is the case (ie. that the analogies are irrelevant) the difference between what you are arguing being OBVIOUS and it merely being POSSIBLE is extremely vast.
You made a claim that they were obviously irrelevant.
The respondant expressed uncerainty as to their irrelevance “They may be irrelevant.” as opposed to the certainty in “The analogies are obvious.” and “They are not obviously irrelevant.”
That is a distinction between something being claimed as obvious and the same thing being seen as doubtful.
If you do not wish to explain a point there are many better options* than inaccurately calling it obvious. For example, linking to a previous explanation.
*in rationality terms. In argumentation terms, these techniques are often inferior to the technique of the emperor’s tailors
The analogies are obvious. They may be irrelevant. They are not obviously irrelevant.
Too fine a distinction to argue, wouldn’t you agree?
Talking about obviousness as if it was inherent in a conclusion is typical mind projection fallacy. What it generally implies (and what I think you mean) is that any sufficiently rational person would see it; but when lots of people don’t see it, calling it obvious is against social convention (it’s claiming higher rationality and thus social status than your audience). In this case I think that to your average reader the analogies aren’t obviously irrelevant, even though I personally do find them obviously irrelevant.
When you’re trying to argue that something is the case (ie. that the analogies are irrelevant) the difference between what you are arguing being OBVIOUS and it merely being POSSIBLE is extremely vast.
You seem to confuse the level of certainty with difficulty of discerning it.
You made a claim that they were obviously irrelevant.
The respondant expressed uncerainty as to their irrelevance “They may be irrelevant.” as opposed to the certainty in “The analogies are obvious.” and “They are not obviously irrelevant.”
That is a distinction between something being claimed as obvious and the same thing being seen as doubtful.
If you do not wish to explain a point there are many better options* than inaccurately calling it obvious. For example, linking to a previous explanation.
*in rationality terms. In argumentation terms, these techniques are often inferior to the technique of the emperor’s tailors