This week, we're talking about conflict vs mistake theory, a framework used by many rationalists to understand disagreement.

Readings

1. The three theoretical paradigms in sociology, which the conflict vs mistake framework arguably traces back to. (You can also watch this Youtube video instead, for an introduction to the paradigms.)
2. Conflict vs mistake, original post by Scott Alexander
3. In defense of conflict theory, followup post by Richard Ngo
4. Conflict theory of bounded distrust, post by Zack M Davis, using the framework to understand epistemics in bounded distrust scenarios
5. Ten modes of culture war discourse, a much more elaborate framework building off of conflict vs mistake, by jchan

Discussion

1. How useful do you find Scott's conflict vs mistake framework? Do you feel you are personally more of a conflict theorist or mistake theorist?
2. Scott's conflict/mistake framework maps roughly onto sociology's conflict theory vs. functionalism. But symbolic interactionism largely drops out. Is this a real loss? Are there political disagreements that are better explained by "people are attaching different meanings to the same symbols"?
3. Richard Ngo argues that conflict theorists have to first create conditions in which mistake theorists can operate in. Do you think this is true in all domains? How does this square with the fact that in sociology, functionalism was the dominant framework before conflict theory?
4. If you accept the historical sequencing argument of conflict theory before mistake theory, what does that imply about which framework is more appropriate for the political issues you currently care most about? Are those issues in the clearing the ground phase, or the optimizing phase?
5. Have you experienced adopting a conflict theorist perspective due to systemic deception like Zack M David describes? How do you avoid the failure mode where distrust becomes self-reinforcing and unfalsifiable?
6. Do you think jchan's more elaborate framework better describes modes of discourse than basic conflict vs mistake? Have you observed or experienced all the types of interaction he describes? Does the rationalist community's insistence on good-faith discussion make it vulnerable to some undesirable dynamics, e.g. Quokka/Wormtongue?

Location

Meet at Holland Village MRT Exit B (below ground part) at 3 pm. We will wait for everyone to gather for 5-10 mins, and then head over to my nearby apartment. If you've been here before, feel free to come directly to the apartment (though you may need to wait to be let in).

Some snacks will be provided. There are many restaurants and a hawker centre nearby, if you want to buy your own food.