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> There's a point I've tried to make any number of times on Skeptoid, and that's if you want your argument to be robust and persuasive, don't include any bad ev
by 411111111111111 3y ago
> There's a point I've tried to make any number of times on Skeptoid, and that's if you want your argument to be robust and persuasive, don't include any bad evidence.
I often have to wonder, how are these highly intellectual people able to have a world view like that?
From my experience, bad evidence works wonders in arguments, because they're generally driven by emotions. It doesn't even matter if they're disproven later on, as the person will have moved on to new arguments.
Rational discourse like this person seems to take for granted is - from my experience - beyond rare.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- Dalewyn 3y agoBad evidence might help you "win" arguments, but the onlookers aren't going to be convinced.
- 411111111111111 3y agoWe're currently living in the age of misinformation precisely because this isn't true. The onlookers are the people that generally don't understand the topic that's being discussed, which creates this illusion of making a rational decision, even though it's entirely driven by emotion.
- godelski 3y agoAs much as I'd love this to be true, evidence suggests otherwise. We wouldn't be in a lot of this mess in the first place if this were true. In certain settings (e.g. academic) you're absolutely correct, but in public I don't think you are.
- godelski 3y ago> From my experience, bad evidence works wonders in arguments It is because people have different goals and are using different metrics. They are just getting confused and thinking they are aligned with the same goals. If you are seeking truthful arguments with debates between good faith and purely rational parties, then weak evidence isn't great, because (like the parent said) it just creates a man made of straw than can easily be torn down. BUT if your goal is to perpetuate arguing and drive up emotions, the tool is fantastic. Because it creates a man of straw which can easily be torn down! Everyone likes burning a big man. I hear they even do it yearly out in the desert. So people just aren't able to properly communicate because language is fuzzy and filling in gaps. That we're assuming those gaps are filled in the same way, but they aren't. Weak evidence is either very useful or very hurtful, but it depends on your settings and goals.