Back to feed

Don't diagnose your opponents

seangoedecke.com RSS feed

Oct 11, 2026

10/11/2026

Separate Motives From Evidence And Lead With Substantive Arguments Before Addressing Incentives

Don't diagnose your opponents · seangoedecke.com RSS feed

Science, Technology & Innovation · Oct 11, 2026

Use motive-based explanations only after independently showing why an opposing claim is wrong, and lead with evidence rather than diagnosing the speaker’s incentives or psychology.


10/11/2026

Focus On Evidence And Methodology Rather Than Motives When Assessing Forecasts

Don't diagnose your opponents · seangoedecke.com RSS feed

Science, Technology & Innovation · Oct 11, 2026

A person’s motives may explain why they hold a belief, but they do not determine whether the belief is true. In debates—especially business and technology—evaluate evidence, methodology, and concrete claims rather than dismissing or accepting conclusions based on suspected incentives or emotional motivations.


10/11/2026

Prioritize Measurable Evidence, Assumptions, and Falsifiers Over Explanations of Critics’ Incentives

Don't diagnose your opponents · seangoedecke.com RSS feed

Science, Technology & Innovation · Oct 11, 2026

Opponent diagnosis weakens debate by replacing testable evidence with unfalsifiable claims about critics’ motives, so contested technology questions should be evaluated using measurable evidence, explicit assumptions, and clear falsifiers.