Named in the rationalist blogging community and defined in writing by Luke Muehlhauser (Better Disagreement, 2011), after John Stuart Mill's case for knowing the strongest opposing view (On Liberty, 1859); Daniel C. Dennett set out Anatol Rapoport's related rules (Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking, 2013).
Builds the strongest version of an opposing argument, stronger than its own backers may have put it, and answers that version before answering anything else.
When to reach for it
When a view is being dismissed too easily, one side dominates a deliberation, or a conclusion needs a hard test.
How it runs
- State the opposing position fairly.
- Strengthen it with the best assumptions and evidence available.
- Argue the strengthened version sincerely, aloud or in writing.
- Only then attempt a rebuttal.
- If the rebuttal fails, change the view.
Where it sits in SOLVE eX
- Any step: Tools that serve every step: habits of thought and checks on the thinking itself.
Go to the source
- On Liberty, chapter 2, 1859
- Better Disagreement, LessWrong, 2011
- Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking, W. W. Norton, 2013