> I know I often take it as confirmation of my own correctness when I realize someone who’s disagreeing with me can’t actually back up their position, but strictly speaking that isn’t the implication.

Ugh, this is one I have to fight against really hard, in all aspects of life: demolish somebody's stupid critique, demolish their rebuttal of my demolition, feel more sure than I did before.  How sure should you feel about your skills when you can beat a child?  And yet there's this giant desire for it.

elvismercury

There’s also an excluded middle issue. Even when your critics are stupid and misinformed, there still might be undiscovered problems with your own position.

I know I often take it as confirmation of my own correctness when I realize someone who’s disagreeing with me can’t actually back up their position, but strictly speaking that isn’t the implication.

bitcoin

The part of Bitcoin you *have* to trust

Scoresby

There’s also an excluded middle issue. Even when your critics are stupid and misinformed, there still might be undiscovered problems with your own position. 

I know I often take it as confirmation of my own correctness when I realize someone who’s disagreeing with me can’t actually back up their position, but strictly speaking that isn’t the implication. 