“Give Me Your Data: The Rationalist Mind Meld” by Taylor G. Lunt
Description
I don’t want your rationality. I can supply my own, thank you very much. I want your data. If you spot a logical error in my thinking, then please point it out. But short of that, among mostly-rational people, I think most disagreements come down to a difference of intuitions, which are rooted in a difference in the data people have been exposed to, and instead of presenting a logical counter-argument, you’re better off doing a “Rationalist mind meld” where you share your data.
I find myself making this mistake a lot. Let's say I came across this (fake) comment:
There aren’t really classes in America anymore, because there's no legal class distinctions and everyone has the same opportunities. And class mobility is very high.
They’re wrong and I know it. Maybe my instinct would be to reply like this:
Actually, a lack of a legally enforced class system [...]
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First published:
October 19th, 2025
Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9SuQkKbZg39tsToPs/give-me-your-data-the-rationalist-mind-meld
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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.
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