LessWrong (30+ Karma) Postmodernism for STEM Types: A Clear-Language Guide to Conflict Theory
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Nov 26, 2025 The podcast dives into the fallout from Richard Dawkins' controversial tweet on gender and race, illuminating the divide between defenders and critics. It contrasts mistake theory, which focuses on factual accuracy, with conflict theory, emphasizing the impact of statements. The discussion touches on how language shapes perception and power dynamics. Listeners learn about the political nature of categories and the implications for discourse in academia, alongside strategies for mistake theorists navigating conflictual environments.
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Mistake Theory Defined
- Mistake theory treats statements as map-to-territory checks and assumes disagreements stem from errors.
- It excels in cooperative, accuracy-sensitive domains like science and engineering.
Statements As Interventions
- Conflict theory evaluates statements by their real-world causal effects rather than mere correspondence.
- Statements are interventions that change attention, behavior, and outcomes.
Subject–Sentiment Compression
- Subject-sentiment compression shows headlines primarily position subjects with a sentiment.
- The frame often matters more than factual detail for shaping public perception.
