I’m puzzled by Eliezer’s claim that anybody ever thought there were “universally compelling arguments”, that would convince every mind whatsoever. Who in the world (not made of straw) does not believe that irrational minds are possible? (We come across them every day.) Surely the not-transparently-ridiculous position in the vicinity he criticizes is instead that there are arguments which would be compelling to any sufficiently rational mind.
While few if any people would explicitly claim that their arguments should convince absolutely anyone, most if not all behave and present their arguments as though they would.
I’m puzzled by Eliezer’s claim that anybody ever thought there were “universally compelling arguments”, that would convince every mind whatsoever. Who in the world (not made of straw) does not believe that irrational minds are possible? (We come across them every day.) Surely the not-transparently-ridiculous position in the vicinity he criticizes is instead that there are arguments which would be compelling to any sufficiently rational mind.
While few if any people would explicitly claim that their arguments should convince absolutely anyone, most if not all behave and present their arguments as though they would.