Eliezer_Yudkowsky comments on Logical Rudeness - Less Wrong

65 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 29 January 2010 06:48AM

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Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 29 January 2010 11:10:02AM 20 points [-]

Empty comments are discouraged here, and it feels like saying "you could be right, I need to think about this more" would be one such.

That it most certainly isn't! It indicates Progress. There is nothing the least bit empty about it!

Comment author: LongInTheTooth 29 January 2010 02:15:27PM *  3 points [-]

Yes, it's right up there with asking questions about the argument that you are uncertain about.

An aside; how often do you ask people to be quiet for a second so you can think about what they said? How many people are comfortable giving you that space?

Comment author: ciphergoth 29 January 2010 02:19:20PM *  12 points [-]

It often happens to me that someone sees me stopped and staring into space thinking as a result of what they say, and conclude that what they said was a really strong argument for their position, where what's actually happening is that they've revealed such a depth of confusion that I'm briefly lost looking where to start unpicking it.

Comment author: Dre 29 January 2010 07:45:30PM 0 points [-]

My technique is get time is to say "wait" about ten times or until they stop and give me time to think. This probably won't work for comment threads very well, but in reality not letting the person continue generally works. Probably slightly rude, but more honest and likely less logically rude, a trade-off I can often live with.