Just capturing a pithy statement from Scott Hamilton:
“The best thing about sharing a subjective Bayesian credence is it reduces one’s evaluation of a problem situation to a number. Readers can agree or disagree without engaging with arguments and avoid learning anything new. It’s great for identifying allies.”
Obviously I’m going to want to elaborate on the reductionist motive, where it makes sense and where it becomes problematic (#GoodFences etc.) but like all pithy tongue-in-cheek statements it’s largely true. (Taking sides with little knowledge / no real engagement. As opposed to …. not taking sides / good-faith engagement.)
Original Tweet for follow-up, but link-rot expected these days.
The best thing about sharing a subjective Bayesian credence is it reduces one’s evaluation of a problem situation to a number. Readers can agree or disagree without engaging with arguments and avoid learning anything new. It’s great for identifying allies.
See π
β Scott Hamilton (@DoqxaScott) January 12, 2023