I think this exchange has become completely unmoored at this point.

I have no objection to reasoning about stuff for the fun of it, or out of habit, or to signal one's in-group status or one's superiority, or various other things. And I agree with you that many people, most especially soi-disant rationalists, do this all the time.

But I very much doubt that this is what Plasmon was getting at, or what EY was talking about, or what Yvain was talking about.