steelman
noun or verb
a strong imagined argument or opposition
What does steelman mean?
Steelman (sometimes steel-man or steel man) refers to a strong or accurate opposition (such as an argument or adversary) set up in order to test or challenge one’s own position. Steelman represents the opposite of straw man, which refers to a weak or imaginary opposition set up only to be easily confuted. A steelman case/argument is the strongest possible case/argument one can imagine their opponent making.
Examples of steelman
By setting up a steelman, which is the strongest possible argument you can express for the opposing side, and then attacking THAT, you strengthen your own position and make it more obvious to your opponent and observers that your side is the strongest position.
—@consideranon, Reddit, 19 July 2020
Can someone actually give me the steelman argument for why stablecoins shouldn’t pay yield? Honestly asking.
—… George W. Bush’s decision to invade Iraq was a missed opportunity to utilize the steelman framework. Vice President Cheney, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, and other advisers were convinced that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. While there were dissenting voices, they were quiet whispers. No one was tasked with building a steelman case against the invasion.
—Thinking about AI often induces panic or euphoria. Because I’m temperamentally wary, I sympathize with the worriers. However, using a “steel man” strategy, I have sought out techno-optimist voices.
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Where does steelman come from?
Straw man, though it has become increasingly popular in the parlance of arguing on social media, is quite old, having first appeared in print in the mid-1800s. Steelman is decidedly younger, having only arisen within the last decade.
How is steelman used?
Like straw man, steelman is usually used attributively, that is, in front of another noun—especially argument or case. It can also be used as a verb for the action of imagining the strongest possible version of one’s opposition.
This is my reminder to “steelman” the other person’s position. This is the opposite of attacking the strawman. If you respond to what the other person is saying by finding fault with the weakest version of what they might mean, you’ll only breed resentment.
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