Some aspirational personal epistemic rules for keeping discussions as truth seeking as possible (not at all novel whatsoever, I’m sure there exist 5 posts on every single one of these points that are more eloquent)
If I am arguing for a position, I must be open to the possibility that my interlocutor may turn out to be correct. (This does not mean that I should expect to be correct exactly 50% of the time, but it does mean that if I feel like I’m never wrong in discussions then that’s a warning sign: I’m either being epistemically unhealthy or I’m talking to the wrong crowd.)
If I become confident that I was previously incorrect about a belief, I should not be attached to my previous beliefs. I should not incorporate my beliefs into my identity. I should not be averse to evidence that may prove me wrong. I should always entertain the possibility that even things that feel obviously true to me may be wrong.
If I convince someone to change their mind, I should avoid say things like “I told you so”, or otherwise try to score status points out of it.
I think in practice I adhere closer to these principles than most people, but I definitely don’t think I’m perfect at it.
(Sidenote: it seems I tend to voice my disagreement on factual things far more often (though not maximally) compared to most people. I’m slightly worried that people will interpret this as me disliking them or being passive aggressive or something—this is typically not the case! I have big disagreements about the-way-the-world-is with a bunch of my closest friends and I think that’s a good thing! If anything I gravitate towards people I can have interesting disagreements with.)
I should always entertain the possibility that even things that feel obviously true to me may be wrong.
I find it a helpful framing to instead allow things that feel obviously false to become more familiar, giving them the opportunity to develop a strong enough voice to explain how they are right. That is, the action is on the side of unfamiliar false things, clarifying their meaning and justification, rather than on the side of familiar true things, refuting their correctness. It’s harder to break out of a familiar narrative from within.
Some aspirational personal epistemic rules for keeping discussions as truth seeking as possible (not at all novel whatsoever, I’m sure there exist 5 posts on every single one of these points that are more eloquent)
If I am arguing for a position, I must be open to the possibility that my interlocutor may turn out to be correct. (This does not mean that I should expect to be correct exactly 50% of the time, but it does mean that if I feel like I’m never wrong in discussions then that’s a warning sign: I’m either being epistemically unhealthy or I’m talking to the wrong crowd.)
If I become confident that I was previously incorrect about a belief, I should not be attached to my previous beliefs. I should not incorporate my beliefs into my identity. I should not be averse to evidence that may prove me wrong. I should always entertain the possibility that even things that feel obviously true to me may be wrong.
If I convince someone to change their mind, I should avoid say things like “I told you so”, or otherwise try to score status points out of it.
I think in practice I adhere closer to these principles than most people, but I definitely don’t think I’m perfect at it.
(Sidenote: it seems I tend to voice my disagreement on factual things far more often (though not maximally) compared to most people. I’m slightly worried that people will interpret this as me disliking them or being passive aggressive or something—this is typically not the case! I have big disagreements about the-way-the-world-is with a bunch of my closest friends and I think that’s a good thing! If anything I gravitate towards people I can have interesting disagreements with.)
I find it a helpful framing to instead allow things that feel obviously false to become more familiar, giving them the opportunity to develop a strong enough voice to explain how they are right. That is, the action is on the side of unfamiliar false things, clarifying their meaning and justification, rather than on the side of familiar true things, refuting their correctness. It’s harder to break out of a familiar narrative from within.