When I stated my condition of sufficient evidence to retract here:
Show me a similar lone dissent by Scalia on the recording of a factual background of no great religious or political valence, and I will withdraw my objection with apologies to Scalia and his great epistemic caution.
… I looked over what I’d written, carefully visualized being presented with that evidence in order to check that it was my True Rejection, and decided that yes, this would be sufficient and that I would in fact react in that case by changing my mind. I didn’t anticipate such a piece of evidence to be offered (or I would’ve already had beliefs consistent with it) but I knew that it would greatly disappoint any skilled minds reading my Facebook feed if I stated such a condition and then went back on it or tried to add extra caveats.
After being presented by the evidence I’d requested here by Dan Haecker:
...which met my stated condition, I also knew that my community would congratulate me on making a public opinion-change and had a fair degree of, “Yay, I so rarely get to impress my friends and show off my rationality skillz by publicly changing my opinion like this!” The next immediate comment after this is my retraction so you can see that the proper motion was executed without hesitating after I checked the provided evidence.
My friends, especially including Luke and Carl who I knew would both go for it, did in fact ‘Like’ the retraction (there or in a later status update for greater visibility) so my expectation was confirmed.
Generalizations: Visualize in advance whether the evidence you demand would actually change your mind; expecting your friends to be disappointed in you if you add any further demands will help you visualize this. Expected reliable community support matters a lot in terms of making you feel happier about getting a chance to change your mind.
This Facebook thread on Scalia, which I retracted here. Remarks:
When I stated my condition of sufficient evidence to retract here:
… I looked over what I’d written, carefully visualized being presented with that evidence in order to check that it was my True Rejection, and decided that yes, this would be sufficient and that I would in fact react in that case by changing my mind. I didn’t anticipate such a piece of evidence to be offered (or I would’ve already had beliefs consistent with it) but I knew that it would greatly disappoint any skilled minds reading my Facebook feed if I stated such a condition and then went back on it or tried to add extra caveats.
After being presented by the evidence I’d requested here by Dan Haecker:
...which met my stated condition, I also knew that my community would congratulate me on making a public opinion-change and had a fair degree of, “Yay, I so rarely get to impress my friends and show off my rationality skillz by publicly changing my opinion like this!” The next immediate comment after this is my retraction so you can see that the proper motion was executed without hesitating after I checked the provided evidence.
My friends, especially including Luke and Carl who I knew would both go for it, did in fact ‘Like’ the retraction (there or in a later status update for greater visibility) so my expectation was confirmed.
Generalizations: Visualize in advance whether the evidence you demand would actually change your mind; expecting your friends to be disappointed in you if you add any further demands will help you visualize this. Expected reliable community support matters a lot in terms of making you feel happier about getting a chance to change your mind.