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Just a quiet reminder that accounting for other peoples' actions with "partisanship" and "tribalism" is just a very easy way to stop thinking about their reason

Just a quiet reminder that accounting for other peoples' actions with "partisanship" and "tribalism" is just a very easy way to stop thinking about their reasoning or motivation. If someone explained your behavior away as unthinking loyalty or allegiance you would be offended-- and rightfully so. P.S. This article is not an apolitical analysis of politics, this journal is not an apolitical scientific journal.

manfredo 6y ago
Evaluating whether an opinion is partisan is not ignoring their reasoning or motivation. Quite the opposite, it is evaluating their reasoning and motivation and determining the extent to which that reasoning and motivating is influence and determined by partisanship or group affiliation. Expert opinion is supposed to be formed by empirical evidence and science. Not political affiliation or personal opinion. For instance, an expert opinion would be, "protests of X size stand to increase rates of infection by Y%" Whether or not a certain protest justified in accepting that increase of infection is a question of personal values not medical science. Is protesting against police brutality worth the increased rate of infection? Is protesting against the lockdowns and subsequent mass unemployment worth the increased rates of infection? It's fine to form your own answers to these questions. But these are questions determined by values, not science. Expert opinions have no business trying to answer these. But medical experts are making the latter statement, and are doing so in a way that comes off as extremely partisan: > We can show that support by facilitating safest protesting practices without detracting from demonstrators’ ability to gather and demand change. This should not be confused with a permissive stance on all gatherings, particularly protests against stay-home orders. Those actions not only oppose public health interventions, but are also rooted in white nationalism and run contrary to respect for Black lives. How on Earth are we supposed to trust these experts' advice on when to lift lockdowns when they openly state that resistance to lockdowns is rooted in white nationalism? Let alone the double standard in supporting some protests while opposing others. As much as I am inclined to defer to experts, messages like these makes it extremely hard for me to do so here. When medical experts are making statements like these, it is highly indicative of reasoning informed by partisanship rather than science.
- danharaj 6y ago
  Here's some possibilities: There's a lot of experts out there, and depending on how the people who fill your feed pick and choose them, they can make them say anything they want. Some experts might change their minds when confronted with a new extraordinary situation. Others are, well, not experts, they just have the credentials of experts. "Experts" have been decried as hypocrites and frauds since the time of Lao Zi, for what its worth. All your interactions with expertise are mediated and indirect, except the expertise you yourself have.

manfredo 6y ago

Evaluating whether an opinion is partisan is not ignoring their reasoning or motivation. Quite the opposite, it is evaluating their reasoning and motivation and determining the extent to which that reasoning and motivating is influence and determined by partisanship or group affiliation. Expert opinion is supposed to be formed by empirical evidence and science. Not political affiliation or personal opinion. For instance, an expert opinion would be, "protests of X size stand to increase rates of infection by Y%" Whether or not a certain protest justified in accepting that increase of infection is a question of personal values not medical science. Is protesting against police brutality worth the increased rate of infection? Is protesting against the lockdowns and subsequent mass unemployment worth the increased rates of infection? It's fine to form your own answers to these questions. But these are questions determined by values, not science. Expert opinions have no business trying to answer these. But medical experts are making the latter statement, and are doing so in a way that comes off as extremely partisan: > We can show that support by facilitating safest protesting practices without detracting from demonstrators’ ability to gather and demand change. This should not be confused with a permissive stance on all gatherings, particularly protests against stay-home orders. Those actions not only oppose public health interventions, but are also rooted in white nationalism and run contrary to respect for Black lives. How on Earth are we supposed to trust these experts' advice on when to lift lockdowns when they openly state that resistance to lockdowns is rooted in white nationalism? Let alone the double standard in supporting some protests while opposing others. As much as I am inclined to defer to experts, messages like these makes it extremely hard for me to do so here. When medical experts are making statements like these, it is highly indicative of reasoning informed by partisanship rather than science.

danharaj 6y ago
Here's some possibilities: There's a lot of experts out there, and depending on how the people who fill your feed pick and choose them, they can make them say anything they want. Some experts might change their minds when confronted with a new extraordinary situation. Others are, well, not experts, they just have the credentials of experts. "Experts" have been decried as hypocrites and frauds since the time of Lao Zi, for what its worth. All your interactions with expertise are mediated and indirect, except the expertise you yourself have.