Covid Skepticism

stringcheese

Miki Dora status
Jun 21, 2017
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" As a way to actually refine the position you agree with by intentionally poking holes in it. As rational beings, I feel it's our moral duty to arrive at the strongest arguments toward truth (whatever that means). So the purpose isn't just to argue, or to get the other sides views more representation. It's a refinement process. We should have good reasons for believing what we do, not shitty reasons. Sometimes, even the commonly held bastions of "common sense" are founded on the bedrock of nonsense, which deserves to be questioned.
I view devils advocates as consistency scanners. Even if I agree with your conclusion, I disagree with your process, and so I'll argue the opposite view using your process, to hopefully highlight any weak links in the argument.
Playing the devil's advocate isn't about advocating a view you disagree with, it's about being mischievous by arguing against something you somewhat support.
How is any of this wrong? Why do I have to explain that I agree with your conclusion to point out that your reasoning is flawed? I'd almost argue the opposite here: it's worse to reveal you agree with the conclusion, because you're telling the person they should only believe what you believe in the way that you see it. It's presumptuous.
A better approach is to simply point out the flaws, regardless of your view. The difference between the devil's advocate and an opposing view point is the devil's advocate wants you to maintain your conclusion, whereas the opposing side wants you to change your conclusion.
People often misinterpret wanting to change your reasoning as also changing your conclusion, and I think this is mostly due to a necessary link between reasoning →conclusion. If you break their reasoning, then they may fear their conclusion can change. And maybe it will! That's what having an open mind is about.
I think this is where your misunderstanding is coming from. You're confusing the people who argue for you to change your conclusions (not devil's advocates) with those who want to change your reasoning (devil's advocates)." - some woman on the internet
 
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Kento

Duke status
Jan 11, 2002
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The Bar
You forgot to include the margin of error, which is somewhere between 6% and 97%, depending on where you run the numbers, making extrapolating pointless exercise.
Are you referring to your previous scientific analysis where you admitted that you just made sh*t up? You're still doing it.
 

santacruzin

Kelly Slater status
Oct 17, 2007
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valley purgatory
I think too many stupid people want to be right about something and now we are all fucked.
Not just about covid but in general.

youtube is the new oracle, if do not agree with something its fake news, science is now disputed by morons who couldn't pass high school biology...we are so unbelievably doomed
 

jamesgang

Miki Dora status
Aug 9, 2006
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stringcheese

Miki Dora status
Jun 21, 2017
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Espn has its reporters wearing gloves. Showing footage of a man who passed multiple covid tests in two countries, wearing his mask as he exits quarantine.
Because it's about compliance, not logic.