My point isn’t that the steelman has no purpose. They’re tools for different situations.
As you say, “Is Marx still to be taken seriously?” requires a steelman. If Marx passed muster then that might mean we’re supposed to build a new rationalist socialism that is as close as possible to that idealised and strengthened version of the argument.
But “should I support current Marxists as they exist” requires a fleshman.
and where it is, I don’t think the “steelmanning” as concept tends to sneak in.
Personally I’ve seen this happen often. Though often with the other end of the political spectrum. People engaging with the smart version of an idea even when the median supporter is very, very dumb and there’s no way anything that will be done in their name even comes close to that smart version anyway.
My point isn’t that the steelman has no purpose. They’re tools for different situations.
As you say, “Is Marx still to be taken seriously?” requires a steelman. If Marx passed muster then that might mean we’re supposed to build a new rationalist socialism that is as close as possible to that idealised and strengthened version of the argument.
But “should I support current Marxists as they exist” requires a fleshman.
Personally I’ve seen this happen often. Though often with the other end of the political spectrum. People engaging with the smart version of an idea even when the median supporter is very, very dumb and there’s no way anything that will be done in their name even comes close to that smart version anyway.