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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   2674 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for October 6, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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As someone else said, think of it as a cool friend who will never judge you and to whom you can ask anything - even the questions you're hesitant to ask. My use cases include:

  • Proofreading or improving the quality of writing for important messages or anything that requires extra attention. You need to fine-tune your prompts to avoid slop (delve into, tapestries, crucial...)
  • Brainstorming ideas.
  • Exploring research directions when I don't know where to start, or when I only have a vague idea to begin with.
  • Writing, improving, or translating code.
  • Progressing at language learning
  • Clarifying things when I can’t or don’t feel like asking someone directly.
  • Finding recommendations without going through tons of SEO slop. This includes things like recipes or travel tips. Just throw whatever you have in your fridge and it will usually suggest decent things you can make.

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This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

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Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.


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