This should be the top comment. The utility of the word "steelman" is already mostly covered by words like "Devil's advocate". Instead, the real purpose of the

This should be the top comment. The utility of the word "steelman" is already mostly covered by words like "Devil's advocate". Instead, the real purpose of the term is to signal "look at how smart I am, I'm putting in way more effort than anyone else". Posture first, discuss second. The equivocation in the current top comment thread stems from that ego problem. People use words they don't understand that they think sound smart. When confronted by more effective & but less smart words, they're too lazy and prideful to switch so they instead pretend they mean the same thing.