> 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

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. 