My favourite is: What are the benefits of tobacco smoking on individuals and society? I have never met someone who can overcome their initial incredulity on it.
I just recalled and looked up your comment on Caplan's original (I think) post on ITT: "If you can’t argue the other side about as well as its supporters, you ought not to have too much confidence that your own views are right."
an abortion question: If SOMEHOW, tomorrow, humanity suddenly became universally convinced that every joining of a human egg and sperm* was a human, what set of laws would then become most salient for this large set of tiny (and bizarrely-noncommunicative) people? (whether or not there was a visible path to fulfilling those.)
("AU" simulation edition!! ...this is my 4th attempt to formulate this question so I could post it here!)
* and therefore every embryo/fetus beyond that stage of development as well.
One thing I've wondered about the political Turing test is if it is just a camouflaged IQ test / test that favors those with weird positions. I am not even sure that people who support a position should perforce be expected to know the arguments favoring that position best -- logically, if the position is wrong, we'd expect non-adherents to know the arguments for (and against it) better than adherents; and as an empirical matter, I've often been dissatisfied in debate when some ardent follower of such and such a position fails to make the strongest arguments available.
I suppose the wider point is that the political Turing test construct depends on (express or implied) empirical points that've not seen empirical proof. It is fun, though.
This is why I mourn the loss of a sane Republican party. With the shitshow that is today's GOP, we can't have a reasonable debate with TFG, Goetz, MTG, etc. And we can't try to figure out reasonable ways to make things better.
The one I struggle with is guns. The US seems clearly so very much worse off than any other developed country.
But I take a lot of positions counter to the standard liberal position in https://www.losingmyreligions.net/ that I am a person without a tribe.
Thanks again for this post. I look forward to the next one, and will promote them both when out.
OK, I'll have a go at this (without reading any other comments).
What are the major positive effects of climate change?:
Well there are quite a lot, actually:
* It would probably increase available agricultural land on net.
* Air conditioning is cheaper than heating
* Cold-related deaths are commoner than heat-related ones.
There are probably more.
What are the main negative effects of having a minimum wage law or increasing the level?:
Mmm. Well there are a lot of theoretical arguments against minimum wages. They ought to increase unemployment for a start. But I don't think there's any reasonable evidence that they actually do do that generally.
And well obviously they make things cost more.
What are the main positive effects of widespread gun ownership?:
I honestly don't believe there are any.
What are or were the negative consequences of regulation of airlines, trucks and rail?:
I'm not sufficiently familiar with the political context (I'm not American, for a start) to have a view or any knowledge.
What are the main negative effects of a tariff?:
Well again, it makes things cost more, which is obviously bad in itself. Generally I'm not keen on tarrifs, though (though I wouldn't oppose them unilaterally), so I'm not sure if this counts as a ITT
What are the main negative effects of affirmative action in academic admissions?:
Like you, I'm opposed to affirmative action, so I shan't weight in.
My favourite is: What are the benefits of tobacco smoking on individuals and society? I have never met someone who can overcome their initial incredulity on it.
I just recalled and looked up your comment on Caplan's original (I think) post on ITT: "If you can’t argue the other side about as well as its supporters, you ought not to have too much confidence that your own views are right."
an abortion question: If SOMEHOW, tomorrow, humanity suddenly became universally convinced that every joining of a human egg and sperm* was a human, what set of laws would then become most salient for this large set of tiny (and bizarrely-noncommunicative) people? (whether or not there was a visible path to fulfilling those.)
("AU" simulation edition!! ...this is my 4th attempt to formulate this question so I could post it here!)
* and therefore every embryo/fetus beyond that stage of development as well.
One thing I've wondered about the political Turing test is if it is just a camouflaged IQ test / test that favors those with weird positions. I am not even sure that people who support a position should perforce be expected to know the arguments favoring that position best -- logically, if the position is wrong, we'd expect non-adherents to know the arguments for (and against it) better than adherents; and as an empirical matter, I've often been dissatisfied in debate when some ardent follower of such and such a position fails to make the strongest arguments available.
I suppose the wider point is that the political Turing test construct depends on (express or implied) empirical points that've not seen empirical proof. It is fun, though.
A spiritual world exists, if you think it doesn't.
A spiritual world doesn't exist, f you think it does.
Not political question, but my experience is people tend to be all or nothing with this question.
Someone posted this on Twitter - and I'm ashamed that I can't find it now - but here it goes:
Can you imagine and describe the sort of society you'd be a conservative in, if you are now a liberal? And vice versa of course.
Thanks for this post.
This is why I mourn the loss of a sane Republican party. With the shitshow that is today's GOP, we can't have a reasonable debate with TFG, Goetz, MTG, etc. And we can't try to figure out reasonable ways to make things better.
The one I struggle with is guns. The US seems clearly so very much worse off than any other developed country.
But I take a lot of positions counter to the standard liberal position in https://www.losingmyreligions.net/ that I am a person without a tribe.
Thanks again for this post. I look forward to the next one, and will promote them both when out.
OK, I'll have a go at this (without reading any other comments).
What are the major positive effects of climate change?:
Well there are quite a lot, actually:
* It would probably increase available agricultural land on net.
* Air conditioning is cheaper than heating
* Cold-related deaths are commoner than heat-related ones.
There are probably more.
What are the main negative effects of having a minimum wage law or increasing the level?:
Mmm. Well there are a lot of theoretical arguments against minimum wages. They ought to increase unemployment for a start. But I don't think there's any reasonable evidence that they actually do do that generally.
And well obviously they make things cost more.
What are the main positive effects of widespread gun ownership?:
I honestly don't believe there are any.
What are or were the negative consequences of regulation of airlines, trucks and rail?:
I'm not sufficiently familiar with the political context (I'm not American, for a start) to have a view or any knowledge.
What are the main negative effects of a tariff?:
Well again, it makes things cost more, which is obviously bad in itself. Generally I'm not keen on tarrifs, though (though I wouldn't oppose them unilaterally), so I'm not sure if this counts as a ITT
What are the main negative effects of affirmative action in academic admissions?:
Like you, I'm opposed to affirmative action, so I shan't weight in.
I'd like to see you argue <i>for</i>
- effective government action to reduce inequality
- effective government action against monopolies and monopsonies
- strict (and enforced) truth-in-advertising laws