I don't know if this was always the common usage of "strawman" but I historically am more familiar with it applied to a document (formal or informal) provided to a group as a starting point, and designed *specifically* to be a least-laughable example to provide an armature for a group of cooperating people to start from.
The use of Strawman as an adversarial tool was new to me when Glen started using it (that way) and it was only the Steelman for contrast that helped me to understand/accept this (alternative-to-me) usage. - Steve > Thanks, Glen. > > The distinction with "strawmanning" is really helpful. From Dennett, eh? > That wiley old fox. > > n > > Nicholas Thompson > Emeritus Professor of Ethology and Psychology > Clark University > [email protected] > https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/ > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Friam <[email protected]> On Behalf Of u?l? ? > Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 10:51 AM > To: FriAM <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [FRIAM] hidden > > https://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+is+a+steelman+argument > > In my words, it's an attempt to reformulate an opponent's argument so that > you can, authentically, carry it to its logical conclusion. In order to > "listen empathetically", you *must* steelman your opponent's view. > > On 5/20/20 9:42 AM, [email protected] wrote: >> Please, oh please, would you guys remind me what a "steelman" position is >> and what it's function is in rhetoric. I feel like you-guys are making >> progress and I am falling .... falling ... behind. > > -- > ☣ uǝlƃ > > -- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... > ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ... > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam un/subscribe > http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ > > > -- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... > ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ... > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam > un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ > -- --- .-. . .-.. --- -.-. -.- ... -..-. .- .-. . -..-. - .... . -..-. . ... ... . -. - .. .- .-.. -..-. .-- --- .-. -.- . .-. ... FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/
