| There's a difference between a "conversation" and an "internet exchange". In person, I agree completely. Skepticism towards your friends/ family/ acquaintances can easily poison the discourse and ruin relationships. If I have a discussion with a person I know, then I should absolutely give them the benefit of the doubt, and take what they say at face value unless they say something I find literally incredulous. When you're having a discussion online though, it's a completely different story. People say stupid stuff on the internet, and "stupid" is a spectrum that goes all the way to "well-intentioned and seemingly-logical but poorly-researched and false". Online, and on a site such as this which aims for a certain level of discourse, every claim should be backed up. There's always somebody who disagrees that is going to read your comment, and you should give them a reason to reconsider their initial position. This is not an easy thing to do. I believe a lot of stuff without knowing immediately why. This forces me to better account for my ideas, which helps structure my thinking. I'm not a strong enough logician to make infallible arguments, but by trying to convince an eternal skeptic, I only make my own arguments better. [EDIT: I gave you an upvote, since you were in the gray. Some others had downvoted you, but that was undeserved, since I think your disagreement was in good faith. Other people, please don't downvote stale's comment.] |
> People say stupid stuff on the internet, and "stupid" is a spectrum
Ok, but if you ask for evidence, because you are skeptical and refuse to give any reason as for why you are skeptical, and I provide the evidence, then I get to call you stupid.
I get to say "Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, look how wrong you were, and how right I was, because you didn't believe something, that I knew what obviously true".
I am not saying that you can't be skeptical. Instead, I am saying that if you disbelieve a claim, then you need to say specifically why you are disbelieving.
Take a stance. Say why you think the other person is wrong. Don't be a coward and just say "I disbelieve you, but refuse to say why".
And if you do that, then I am going to give you that evidence that you asked for, and call you stupid for not giving your reason why you were skeptical in the first place.
I am asking nothing more of the skeptic than they are asking of me. Yes, I'll give you evidence, and treat you nicely. If you also gave a justification for your disbelief in the first place.