Note: even with you making a point of it, it took me two reads to understand why my initial read of “unless all the discussants are already rational” was wrong.
I’m not sure if this relates to my article or the comment. But I initially took this comment to mean that you can’t talk about politics rationally unless the people you’re talking to are rational. Given that no one is perfectly rational (even those of us who aspire to it), it lead me to the conclusion—what’s the point?
In other words, avoid discussion of politics in all situations, because no one can be rational about it. I’ll admit, I overstepped the mark, and this is largely my misreading of the initial article.
Ah, I see. I had interpreted it as “don’t discuss it, as long as the people involved aren’t exceptionally good at the art of rationality” which still seems valid to me. Did you end up on a different reading?
Yes, the new reading is “Politics isn’t a good place to practice rationality unless all the discussants are already rational”. Not that you shouldn’t engage in discussion of politics, just that you shouldn’t go to train rationality there (when not already well practiced in other areas).
Note: even with you making a point of it, it took me two reads to understand why my initial read of “unless all the discussants are already rational” was wrong.
I think I still don’t get it. Can you elaborate more?
I’m not sure if this relates to my article or the comment. But I initially took this comment to mean that you can’t talk about politics rationally unless the people you’re talking to are rational. Given that no one is perfectly rational (even those of us who aspire to it), it lead me to the conclusion—what’s the point?
In other words, avoid discussion of politics in all situations, because no one can be rational about it. I’ll admit, I overstepped the mark, and this is largely my misreading of the initial article.
Ah, I see. I had interpreted it as “don’t discuss it, as long as the people involved aren’t exceptionally good at the art of rationality” which still seems valid to me. Did you end up on a different reading?
Yes, the new reading is “Politics isn’t a good place to practice rationality unless all the discussants are already rational”. Not that you shouldn’t engage in discussion of politics, just that you shouldn’t go to train rationality there (when not already well practiced in other areas).
On the other hand, whenever you do something, you practice it whether you intend to or not.