A PSA for those debating online

[Dreamer Tatum]

Consider the following exchange:


Mr. B: "Seatbelt laws generally improve safety for all motorists."

Mr. A: "I'm not so sure. I knew a guy once who was cut in half by his seatbelt."


OK, STOP. Mr. B used the word GENERALLY, an adverb that means "by and large." This magical adverb admits the possibility that the statement may, in some instances, be false.

Mr. A (the "A" is for "asshole") has added nothing to the discussion because the nature of his reply is to verify that, indeed, there are special cases, which does not weaken the original statement.

Let's pick up the discussion again:

Mr. B: "So, you agree with me, then."

Mr. A: "Whuuuuuuuu....?"

Mr. B: "I said that seatbelts generally improve safety, and you gave me a single instance when a seatbelt didn't provide safety. Your statement is assumed by mine, so in fact, you completely agree. Great. Next topic."


OK, notice that Mr. B has taken Mr. A's thread-hijacking, diversionary, look-at-me, I'm-the-smartest-guy-on-the-Net energy and has used it against him. This is, in fact, the essence of many of the martial arts, and it can be employed to silence an asshole just as well as it can be used to kill an attacker.


Remember, folks: the vast majority of human knowledge and experience is based on the usual, the average, the most likely, and the general. The outlier is the enemy of progress, but it is also the best friend of Captain Counterexample.


As the annoying holiday gatherings approach, I hope you can employ this maneuver against countless know-it-alls. Enjoy in good health.

[Buzz Clik]

1. "As the annoying holiday gatherings approach..." Speak for yourself!

My entire family will be joining us, and I am thrilled at the prospect.

Have a ... tolerable .. holiday.

[HuckleB]

2. Awesome! K & R!

[Naturyl]

3. So on-target

"Captain Counterexample," as you call it, is the very bestest friend of innumerable online debaters who think they are smarter than they actually are. They are the vast horde of know-it-alls who, just as you suggest, are immediately incensed by any generalization about anything whatsoever. Their invariable knee-jerk response is to dredge up a devastating counter-example, with obvious self-satisfaction and the expectation that the opponent will immediately capitulate in utter defeat. Naturally, their obliviousness never allows them to realize that the existence of exceptions is inherent to any generalization from the outset, and is in fact directly implied by any such statement.

It really is tiresome, and I thank you for this post highlighting a never-ending issue in Internet debate.

[notesdev]

4. A handy guide

especially when dealing with people defending an established (but incorrect) orthodoxy...

When they have no facts, and no logic to back up their arguments, they resort to one or more of these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies