Noun. pseudointellectual (plural pseudointellectuals) A person who claims proficiency in scholarly or artistic activities while lacking in-depth knowledge or critical understanding. A person who pretends to be of greater intelligence than he or she in fact is.
I don’t think S.A. claims any proficiency or scholarly credentials that he doesn’t have. He doesn’t review books claiming to be some expert in reviewing books, and doesn’t write essays claiming to be setting down eternal truths. Rather, he is openly exploratory and epistemically careful.
I certainly don’t think he pretends to be smarter than he is. But of course, the use of this word in the original claim is probably an empty slur, meant to convey sentiment rather than content. I certainly hope the “pseudointellectual” part of the claim isn’t important to the argument, since I think even Alexander’s detractors would admit it is inaccurate.
Thus, one question in short form: “Given that a pseudointellectual is defined as one who claims proficiency while lacking in-depth knowledge and/or a person who pretends to greater intelligence than he possesses, do you actually believe Scott Alexander qualifies as a pseudointellectual? If so, could you elaborate on where specifically he has exaggerated his own proficiency, knowledge, or intelligence? If not, what did you actually mean by pseudointellectual?”
It’s one thing to accuse somebody of being systematically wrong, another thing to accuse them of being systematically deceptive. I don’t think my focus on this word choice can be trivially dismissed.
Also, it seems likely that if one of the roughly nine words in the quoted thesis was chosen carelessly, the underlying thought process will be likewise flimsy.
I don’t think S.A. claims any proficiency or scholarly credentials that he doesn’t have. He doesn’t review books claiming to be some expert in reviewing books, and doesn’t write essays claiming to be setting down eternal truths. Rather, he is openly exploratory and epistemically careful.
I certainly don’t think he pretends to be smarter than he is. But of course, the use of this word in the original claim is probably an empty slur, meant to convey sentiment rather than content. I certainly hope the “pseudointellectual” part of the claim isn’t important to the argument, since I think even Alexander’s detractors would admit it is inaccurate.
Thus, one question in short form: “Given that a pseudointellectual is defined as one who claims proficiency while lacking in-depth knowledge and/or a person who pretends to greater intelligence than he possesses, do you actually believe Scott Alexander qualifies as a pseudointellectual? If so, could you elaborate on where specifically he has exaggerated his own proficiency, knowledge, or intelligence? If not, what did you actually mean by pseudointellectual?”
It’s one thing to accuse somebody of being systematically wrong, another thing to accuse them of being systematically deceptive. I don’t think my focus on this word choice can be trivially dismissed.
Also, it seems likely that if one of the roughly nine words in the quoted thesis was chosen carelessly, the underlying thought process will be likewise flimsy.