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comment by user-inactivated
user-inactivated  ·  2833 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Free Will ≈ Determinism, F.A.P.P.

    The background for this opinion involves a chain of reasoning that is very long, circuitous, and speculative, so probably beyond the scope of this discussion :)

As a matter of fact, I'm curious to learn about the whole chain for as long as you're comfortable sharing it.

    First, it's very hard to even ask the question in a rigorous way.

You see, this is why I don't argue about basic things with people: they turn the argument into "what is <subject>, even?" instead of relying on the informal understanding of it that most human beings seem to possess. I don't think it's ever a viable conversation to have because it refuses the conversees the actual opportunity to explore the subject, as opposed to a pedantic (and likely unsuccessful one).

I'm not saying there's no value in defining terms of argument: I'm saying sometimes it is unnecessary and, perhaps, impossible beyond the intuitive scope that many possess.