If you’re following the view of debate as competition, as combat, it seems like the equivalent of saying “give me five minutes with that wimp, I’d have him on the ropes”
ETA: I imagine my Christian friends being offended if I stood up and said “I think I could deconvert C.S. Lewis, were he living, and willing to give me some of his time”.
ETA2: When what I would mean by the comment would be something along the lines of “from what I’ve read of his writings I would imagine Lewis arguing with me in good faith, with an open and active mind, and with a primary concern for the truth,” some of the highest compliments a(n epistemic) rationalist can pay.
Is that peculiar to rationalists? It’s not obvious to me.
If you’re following the view of debate as competition, as combat, it seems like the equivalent of saying “give me five minutes with that wimp, I’d have him on the ropes”
ETA: I imagine my Christian friends being offended if I stood up and said “I think I could deconvert C.S. Lewis, were he living, and willing to give me some of his time”.
ETA2: When what I would mean by the comment would be something along the lines of “from what I’ve read of his writings I would imagine Lewis arguing with me in good faith, with an open and active mind, and with a primary concern for the truth,” some of the highest compliments a(n epistemic) rationalist can pay.