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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   3263 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 9, 2023

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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OK you’re answering each other’s replies, this thread has a bad case of mitosis. I’m not complaining at all, but I’m not going to be able to keep generating replies of the superlative caliber you’re now used to, plus it’s getting a bit repetitive and line-by-line-y.

But I want to thank everyone for answering my question, and you two in particular for humouring me at length, it’s been fun and informative.

Not fraught to the point that some knowledge can't exist, but more than fraught enough that knowledge can't be solved like tic-tac-toe.

I don’t think ideological questions are ‘obvious’ or can be solved like tic-tac-toe, but I’ll let it go without accusing you of rounding my arguments to absurdities . The way I see it, this sort of ‘strawmanning’ is often an honest attempt at gauging the other guy’s position.

Seems to me he was saying it was fraught to the point knowledge can’t exist, and you implied earlier it tailed off to nothing, but okay, I’ll agree to the above. Still a massive gap between these two extremes.

I’ll leave your ‘unorthodox’ use of the word ‘axiom’ to another comment, when I get to it.

You can even keep calling me a Postmodernist

Okay because I need to call you something. I think the thread shows there is some real divergence in our epistemologies.

this thread has a bad case of mitosis. I’m not complaining at all, but I’m not going to be able to keep generating replies of the superlative caliber you’re now used to, plus it’s getting a bit repetitive and line-by-line-y

(Observe the apparent tractability of the question fading!)

...But seriously, this is inevitable. I'm doubtful this thread of discussion itself will actually sort the question either; like the previous discussions we've had, this one will probably taper off inconclusively, because one or both of us will get frustrated or distrated and we'll move on. But over several such, understanding grows, hopefully.

The way I see it, this sort of ‘strawmanning’ is often an honest attempt at gauging the other guy’s position.

A fair point.

I’ll leave your ‘unorthodox’ use of the word ‘axiom’ to another comment, when I get to it.

I eagerly await it. Have a good one, sir.

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