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Comment by jennyholzer3

3 days ago

what do you think "steel-man" means, if not inventing a charitable reading of the regime's crimes?

steel-man means trying to interpret someone's argument in the most favorable light rather than arguing against a weaker interpretation. It does not mean making up a different argument for them that you like better.

  • No. What you describe is closer to “giving the benefit of the doubt”. “Straw manning” was always inventing reasons that are easy to refute, and steel manning has always meant its opposite