If someone is wrong, this should definitely be made legible, so that no one leaves believing the wrong thing. The problem is with the “obviously” part. Once the truth of the object-level question is settled, there is the secondary question of how much we should update our estimate of the competence of whoever made a mistake. I think we should by default try to be clear about the object-level question and object-level mistake, and by default glomarize about the secondary question.
I read Ruby as saying that we should by default glomarize about the secondary question, and also that we should be much more hesitant about assuming an object-level error we spot is real. I think this makes sense as a conversation norm, where clarification is fast, but is bad in a forum, where asking someone to clarify their bad argument frequently leads to a dropped thread and a confusing mess for anyone who comes across the conversation later.
There’s an implication in your comment I don’t necessarily agree with, now that you point it out: “we should be much more hesitant about assuming an object-level error we spot is real” → “we should ask for clarification when we notice something.”
Person A argues X, Person B thinks X is wrong and wants to respond with argument Y. I don’t think they have to ask for clarification, I think it’s enough that they speak in a way that grants that maybe they’re missing something, in a way that’s consistent with having some non-negligible prior that the other person is correct. More about changing how you say things than what you say. So if asking for clarification isn’t helpful, don’t do it.
If someone is wrong, this should definitely be made legible, so that no one leaves believing the wrong thing. The problem is with the “obviously” part. Once the truth of the object-level question is settled, there is the secondary question of how much we should update our estimate of the competence of whoever made a mistake. I think we should by default try to be clear about the object-level question and object-level mistake, and by default glomarize about the secondary question.
I read Ruby as saying that we should by default glomarize about the secondary question, and also that we should be much more hesitant about assuming an object-level error we spot is real. I think this makes sense as a conversation norm, where clarification is fast, but is bad in a forum, where asking someone to clarify their bad argument frequently leads to a dropped thread and a confusing mess for anyone who comes across the conversation later.
There’s an implication in your comment I don’t necessarily agree with, now that you point it out: “we should be much more hesitant about assuming an object-level error we spot is real” → “we should ask for clarification when we notice something.”
Person A argues X, Person B thinks X is wrong and wants to respond with argument Y. I don’t think they have to ask for clarification, I think it’s enough that they speak in a way that grants that maybe they’re missing something, in a way that’s consistent with having some non-negligible prior that the other person is correct. More about changing how you say things than what you say. So if asking for clarification isn’t helpful, don’t do it.
See this old comment thread (especially my response to the response) for some related points.