Why I Write about Things I Don't Believe

Toolbelt of Knowledge: Practices
Skepticism
Listening
Deconstruction
Rationality
Mindfulness
Steel Manning
Common Sense

On this blog, I write about all kinds of philosophical ideas. One of the major goals is to help me think about all of these interesting topics, and to figure out what I believe. But I also write about things I don’t believe, like Dualism, Idealism, and the creation solutions to the fine-tuning problem. Why do I do this? There are a few reasons. Firstly, taking the time to think through ideas I don’t believe helps me understand the ideas I do believe. Secondly, when I write fantasy, I want my alternative philosophy to be coherent. And thirdly, thinking about all kinds of philosophical ideas is fun, whether I think they correspond to the real world or not.

We will begin by discussing something called the Steel Man technique. A good competitor always wants their opponent to be at their best, because only then can the competition truly reveal who is stronger, faster, more cunning, or whatever. Although I don’t like to think of intellectual discussions as competitions, the same principle applies: the only way to know whose ideas are truer is if the very best arguments are made for all sides.

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There is a fallacy often committed during debates or arguments, when one person sets up a weak caricature of the other’s position and knocks down that caricature, acting as if this means they have knocked down their opponent’s argument. This is called the Straw Man fallacy. Most open-minded individuals will usually be able to spot one, and the person who makes the fallacy will lose credibility.

But if someone does the opposite, and builds up their opponent’s position to be at its very best, such that their opponent would agree wholeheartedly at how it is put, they have made a Steel Man. Knocking down a straw man is a cheap and dirty trick. Knocking down a steel man is a well-earned and noble victory.

In a less competitive setting, such as when two people are having a friendly conversation, a steel man can keep things positive by letting the other person know you understand where they’re coming from. It is also helpful to you, whether you are with someone or thinking on your own, because understanding what you don’t believe helps you better understand what you do believe.

When world-building fantasy stories, I strive for philosophical coherence. We all know of science fiction and fantasy stories where the authors throw in whatever they feel like without worrying about how much sense it makes. Sci-fi realism, on the other hand, is when a writer takes scientific ideas and language seriously, and uses them appropriately to craft a story that might plausibly take place in the future. Similarly, medieval realism is an idea applied to fantasy such that the geography, economics, politics, armor and horses and all of that stuff, make sense. Philosophical coherence is like sci-fi and medieval realism, but with philosophy. For instance, in The Mentor, the Hero, and the Trickster, there is a magical world the main characters can go to called the Unconscious Realms, which are built according to my conception of what a world based on Berkelian Idealsim world would be like.

When I write about things like idealism and dualism, I am building up my skill in philosophical coherence. In my fantasy books, philosophical coherence will help me give them the depth and richness I strive for.

In order to further grow my skills of philosophical coherence and steel manning, I am going to start a new series called “Best Arguments Against,” where I present the arguments against my beliefs that I find the most compelling. We’ll talk about God and quantum physics and all kinds of awesome stuff. So make sure to check back regularly, because it’s going to be a fun time.