This post was long and winding, and didn’t seem to deliver much. This might just be because I was tired. Either way it certainly didn’t deliver on either of its titles.
My main conclusions are, oddly, enough, in the final section:
[paste]
I propose that the key elements of a rational conversation are (where “you” refers collectively to all participants):
1)you must use only documented reasoning processes:
[1.1] using the best known process(es) for a given class of problem
[1.2] stating clearly which particular process(es) you use
[1.3] documenting any new processes you use
2) making every reasonable effort to verify that:
[2.1] your inputs are reasonably accurate, and
[2.2] there are no other reasoning processes which might be better suited to this class of problem, and
[2.3] there are no significant flaws in in your application of the reasoning processes you are using, and
[2.4] there are no significant inputs you are ignoring
…
So… can we agree on this?
[/paste]
P.S. The list refuses to format nicely in comment mode; I did what I could.
This post was long and winding, and didn’t seem to deliver much. This might just be because I was tired. Either way it certainly didn’t deliver on either of its titles.
My main conclusions are, oddly, enough, in the final section:
[paste]
I propose that the key elements of a rational conversation are (where “you” refers collectively to all participants):
1)you must use only documented reasoning processes: [1.1] using the best known process(es) for a given class of problem [1.2] stating clearly which particular process(es) you use [1.3] documenting any new processes you use
2) making every reasonable effort to verify that: [2.1] your inputs are reasonably accurate, and [2.2] there are no other reasoning processes which might be better suited to this class of problem, and [2.3] there are no significant flaws in in your application of the reasoning processes you are using, and [2.4] there are no significant inputs you are ignoring … So… can we agree on this? [/paste]
P.S. The list refuses to format nicely in comment mode; I did what I could.
I much prefer the new version.