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TST PRACTICE

By Philosopher Michael Alan Prestwood

OVM Viewpoints

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OVM Viewpoints

The three OVM Viewpoints are defined thinking tools used to understand belief, evidence, and doubt: true believer, empiricist, and true skeptic.

In ordinary usage, the term viewpoint often overlaps with perspective or even lens, but not in TST. In TST, a viewpoint is a thinking position available for any mind to consider, a perspective is the position of a mind on a specific topic, and a lens is an available worldview approach to things like truth, belief, and ethics.

OVM Viewpoints is a specific TST term.

The Open Viewpoint Method uses three viewpoints to explore steelman arguments of a topic. The True Believer viewpoint represents the strongest available argument in favor of a topic. The Empiricist viewpoint represents the evidence-based inquiry where science and reason are put above all else. The True Skeptic viewpoint represents the strongest available argument against a topic. These are not labels for entire people. They are tools for exploring how an idea looks from different positions. Take evolution. If you believe evolution, before engaging with a creationist, or better yet, to evaluate the strongest points against evolution, you steelman either an argument against evolution or an argument for creationism; or both. And vice versa, if you are a creationist who has not looked honestly at evolution, create the best steelman argument you can for evolution, open your mind, and evaluate each point.

By examining at least the opposing view of your own, you can better understand disagreements, avoid rigid thinking, and evaluate ideas without confusing a person’s beliefs with the whole person.

Here’s your premium extra.

The three OVM viewpoints help you explore a topic by stepping outside your own thinking.
Subject: Viewpoint Prevention.
Thinking well means learning to see an idea from more than one viewpoint. OVM’s True Believer, Empiricist, and True Skeptic viewpoints help you explore topics. The surface evidence, conviction, and doubt. By considering at least two of the three, you can challenge your own perspective and raise your dialogue with others to something more productive than yelling.

Flashcard.

What TST term defines thinking tools used to understand belief, evidence, and doubt?.
Answer. OVM Viewpoints.


That Philosophy FAQ, 

was first published on TST 17 hours ago.
This tidbit is part of the broader TST project.
These short entries help separate what is known, what is inferred, and what remains open. That distinction is where careful thinking begins.

The end!

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