The inverse Simmel scenario

A new piece on LessWrong explores the "inverse Simmel scenario," a conceptual struggle where a person rejects a common belief but cannot yet articulate a positive alternative. The author applies this framework to the debate over free will, noting that while many find the concept of free will false, they struggle to define a coherent, positive ontology to replace it. As LessWrong tells it, the goal is to find a conceptual breakthrough similar to how Galileo's ship analogy helped people visualize a moving Earth.

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