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Arguing By Definition

Edited by Zack_M_Davis, Vladimir_Nesov, et al. last updated 19th Jul 2022

Reality already is what it is; as aspiring rationalists, our task in thought and speech is to map it. You can't coerce reality by redefining a word. The fact that you've defined a word in a particular way can't teach you anything about the world, . Therefore arguing by definition is futile. Worse still, the dictionary definition of a word doesn't even begin to capture the that actually constitutes its meaning; the dictionary, defining a word in terms of other words, can only serve as a helpful pointer to what most people mean when they use a word. Better to keep the focus on the facts of the matter and trying to understand what your interlocutor is trying to communicate, than to get lost in a pointless discussion of definitions, bearing nothing.

Blog posts

  • Arguing "By Definition"
  • The Parable of Hemlock
  • The Nature of Logic

See also

Sequence

  • A Human's Guide to Words
only observations can
Beliefs require observations
Illusion of transparency
rich cognitive content
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