I’m not sure I know what point you meant to make by this.
I read Franklin’s advice as applying, and intending to be applied, quite readily in those cases where one’s interlocutor is totally and clearly wrong. The idea is that you take a certain roundabout approach to telling them that they’re wrong, without quite coming out and saying it straight out. The fact that they are wrong need not be in question; it’s merely a matter of which tactics are effective in convincing them. (The assumption, of course, is that you’re interested in convincing them.)
In any case, I am unsure in what sense your comment is a response to what I said… could you clarify?
The way I read Franklin’s quote is that if someone says “well, (factual statement X) is true, and from it I draw (unwarranted conclusion Y)”, we should claim to agree with him (because we agree with X) and act as though drawing conclusion Y is a minor flaw in his theory that doesn’t negate the fact that he’s basically correct.
But he’s not basically correct. He did invoke X, and X is true, but to say that he’s right, or even partially right, means he’s right about a substantial part of his argument, not that he’s based it on at least one statement that is true. A homeopath doesn’t become partly right just because he says “well, vaccines work by using a tiny amount of something to protect against it, so perhaps homeopathy can also use a tiny amount of a substance to protect against it”, even if the statement about vaccines is literally correct.
‘If the data is good, but the argument is not, argue the argument (e.g. by showing that it doesn’t hold water). Don’t argue about the conclusion and point to the bad argument as evidence.’ (not a rationality quote, just curious about your reaction)
I’m not sure I know what point you meant to make by this.
I read Franklin’s advice as applying, and intending to be applied, quite readily in those cases where one’s interlocutor is totally and clearly wrong. The idea is that you take a certain roundabout approach to telling them that they’re wrong, without quite coming out and saying it straight out. The fact that they are wrong need not be in question; it’s merely a matter of which tactics are effective in convincing them. (The assumption, of course, is that you’re interested in convincing them.)
In any case, I am unsure in what sense your comment is a response to what I said… could you clarify?
The way I read Franklin’s quote is that if someone says “well, (factual statement X) is true, and from it I draw (unwarranted conclusion Y)”, we should claim to agree with him (because we agree with X) and act as though drawing conclusion Y is a minor flaw in his theory that doesn’t negate the fact that he’s basically correct.
But he’s not basically correct. He did invoke X, and X is true, but to say that he’s right, or even partially right, means he’s right about a substantial part of his argument, not that he’s based it on at least one statement that is true. A homeopath doesn’t become partly right just because he says “well, vaccines work by using a tiny amount of something to protect against it, so perhaps homeopathy can also use a tiny amount of a substance to protect against it”, even if the statement about vaccines is literally correct.
What do you think of the following?
‘If the data is good, but the argument is not, argue the argument (e.g. by showing that it doesn’t hold water). Don’t argue about the conclusion and point to the bad argument as evidence.’ (not a rationality quote, just curious about your reaction)
I think that is not what Franklin was saying.