I’m currently of the view that anything below level three is a complete waste of time, and if we can’t find a way to elevate the faith level quickly and efficiently then we have better things to be doing and we shouldn’t engage much at all (This is mere opinion, and it’s a very bold opinion, so I encourage people to try to wreck it, if they think they can.)
I’ve avoided people/conversations on those grounds, but I’m not sure it is the best way to deal with it. And I really do think good intellectual progress can be made at level 2. As Ruby said in the post I’m replying to, intellectual debate is common in analytic philosophy, and it does well there.
Maybe my description of intellectual debate makes you think of all the bad arguments-are-soldiers stuff. Which it should. But, I think there’s something to be said about highly developed cultures of intellectual debate. There are a lot of conventions which make it work better, such as a strong norm of being charitable to the other side (which, in intellectual-debate culture, means an expectation that people will call you out for being uncharitable). This sort of simulates level 3 within level 2.
As for level 1, you might be able to develop some empathy for it at times when you feel particularly vulnerable and need people to do something to affirm your belongingness in a group or conversation. Keep an eye out for times when you appreciate level-one behavior from others, times when you would have appreciated some level-one comfort, or times when other people engage in level one (and decide whether it was helpful in the situation). It’s nice when we can get to a place where no one’s ego is on the line when they offer ideas, but sometimes it just is. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away, it just makes you manage it ineptly. My guess is that you are involved with more level one situations than you think, and would endorse some of it.
I’m currently of the view that anything below level three is a complete waste of time, and if we can’t find a way to elevate the faith level quickly and efficiently then we have better things to be doing and we shouldn’t engage much at all (This is mere opinion, and it’s a very bold opinion, so I encourage people to try to wreck it, if they think they can.)
I’ve avoided people/conversations on those grounds, but I’m not sure it is the best way to deal with it. And I really do think good intellectual progress can be made at level 2. As Ruby said in the post I’m replying to, intellectual debate is common in analytic philosophy, and it does well there.
Maybe my description of intellectual debate makes you think of all the bad arguments-are-soldiers stuff. Which it should. But, I think there’s something to be said about highly developed cultures of intellectual debate. There are a lot of conventions which make it work better, such as a strong norm of being charitable to the other side (which, in intellectual-debate culture, means an expectation that people will call you out for being uncharitable). This sort of simulates level 3 within level 2.
As for level 1, you might be able to develop some empathy for it at times when you feel particularly vulnerable and need people to do something to affirm your belongingness in a group or conversation. Keep an eye out for times when you appreciate level-one behavior from others, times when you would have appreciated some level-one comfort, or times when other people engage in level one (and decide whether it was helpful in the situation). It’s nice when we can get to a place where no one’s ego is on the line when they offer ideas, but sometimes it just is. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away, it just makes you manage it ineptly. My guess is that you are involved with more level one situations than you think, and would endorse some of it.