Cool, it sounds like we’re mostly on the same page about how disagreements should proceed, in theory at least. I’m a bit surprised when you say that your disagreements are usually values-based. It seems like in a lot of cases when I disagree with people it’s because we have different information, and over the course of our conversation, we share information and often converge on the same conclusion.
If I’m forcing you to “spell things out” that’s because there is a point to it which you should be able to discover after a bit of thought and just shortcut to the end.
So maybe this is what frustrated me about our previous discussion… I think I would have appreciated a stronger pointer from you as to where our actual point of disagreement might lay. I’d rather you explain your perceived weakness in my argument rather than forcing me to discover it for myself. (Having arguments is frustrating enough without adding on a puzzle solving aspect.) For example, if you had said something like “communism was a movement founded by people with genes for altruism, and look where that went” earlier in our discussion, I think I would have appreciated that.
If you want, try predicting how I feel about communism, then rot13 the rest of this paragraph. V guvax pbzzhavfz vf n snyfvsvrq ulcbgurfvf ng orfg. Fbpvrgl qrfvta vf n gevpxl ceboyrz, fb rzcvevpvfz vf xrl. Rzcvevpnyyl, pbzzhavfg fbpvrgvrf (bapr gurl fpnyr cnfg ivyyntr-fvmrq) qba’g frrz irel shapgvbany, juvpu vf fgebat rivqrapr gung pbzzhavfz vf n onq zbqry. V qba’g guvax jr unir n inyhrf qvfnterrzrag urer—jr frrz gb or va nterrzrag gung pbzzhavfz naq eryngrq snvyher zbqrf ner onq bhgpbzrf. Engure, V guvax jr unq na vasb qvfpercnapl, jvgu lbh univat gur vafvtug gung nygehvfz trarf zvtug yrnq gb pbzzhavfz naq zr ynpxvat vg. Gur vyyhfvba bs genafcnerapl zvtug unir orra va bcrengvba urer.
I’m a bit surprised when you say that your disagreements are usually values-based.
I don’t know if they are “usually” value-based, but those are the serious, unresolvable ones. If the disagreement is due to miscommunication (e.g. a definitions issue), it’s easy to figure out once you get precise. If the disagreement is about empirical reality, well, you should stop arguing and go get a look at the empirical reality. But if it’s value-based, there is not much you can do.
Besides, a lot of value-based disagreements masquerade as arguments about definitions or data.
I think I would have appreciated a stronger pointer from you as to where our actual point of disagreement might lay.
Mea culpa. I do have a tendency to argue by questions—which I’m generally fine with—but sometimes it gets… excessive :-) I know it can be a problem.
how I feel about communism
Well, it’s 2015 and you’re an American, I think, so it’s highly unlikely you have (or are willing to admit) a liking for communism :-)
But the issue here is this: some people argue that communism failed, yes, but is was a noble and righteous dream which was doomed by imperfect, selfish, nasty people. If only the people were better (higher level of consciousness and all that), communism would work and be just about perfect.
Now, if you can genetically engineer people to be suitable for communism...
Cool, it sounds like we’re mostly on the same page about how disagreements should proceed, in theory at least. I’m a bit surprised when you say that your disagreements are usually values-based. It seems like in a lot of cases when I disagree with people it’s because we have different information, and over the course of our conversation, we share information and often converge on the same conclusion.
So maybe this is what frustrated me about our previous discussion… I think I would have appreciated a stronger pointer from you as to where our actual point of disagreement might lay. I’d rather you explain your perceived weakness in my argument rather than forcing me to discover it for myself. (Having arguments is frustrating enough without adding on a puzzle solving aspect.) For example, if you had said something like “communism was a movement founded by people with genes for altruism, and look where that went” earlier in our discussion, I think I would have appreciated that.
If you want, try predicting how I feel about communism, then rot13 the rest of this paragraph. V guvax pbzzhavfz vf n snyfvsvrq ulcbgurfvf ng orfg. Fbpvrgl qrfvta vf n gevpxl ceboyrz, fb rzcvevpvfz vf xrl. Rzcvevpnyyl, pbzzhavfg fbpvrgvrf (bapr gurl fpnyr cnfg ivyyntr-fvmrq) qba’g frrz irel shapgvbany, juvpu vf fgebat rivqrapr gung pbzzhavfz vf n onq zbqry. V qba’g guvax jr unir n inyhrf qvfnterrzrag urer—jr frrz gb or va nterrzrag gung pbzzhavfz naq eryngrq snvyher zbqrf ner onq bhgpbzrf. Engure, V guvax jr unq na vasb qvfpercnapl, jvgu lbh univat gur vafvtug gung nygehvfz trarf zvtug yrnq gb pbzzhavfz naq zr ynpxvat vg. Gur vyyhfvba bs genafcnerapl zvtug unir orra va bcrengvba urer.
I don’t know if they are “usually” value-based, but those are the serious, unresolvable ones. If the disagreement is due to miscommunication (e.g. a definitions issue), it’s easy to figure out once you get precise. If the disagreement is about empirical reality, well, you should stop arguing and go get a look at the empirical reality. But if it’s value-based, there is not much you can do.
Besides, a lot of value-based disagreements masquerade as arguments about definitions or data.
Mea culpa. I do have a tendency to argue by questions—which I’m generally fine with—but sometimes it gets… excessive :-) I know it can be a problem.
Well, it’s 2015 and you’re an American, I think, so it’s highly unlikely you have (or are willing to admit) a liking for communism :-)
But the issue here is this: some people argue that communism failed, yes, but is was a noble and righteous dream which was doomed by imperfect, selfish, nasty people. If only the people were better (higher level of consciousness and all that), communism would work and be just about perfect.
Now, if you can genetically engineer people to be suitable for communism...