Within Steelman
A Better Order for Criticising Ideas
Rapoport's rules turn criticism into a sequence: restate clearly, name agreement, learn something, then object.
On this page
- The four step sequence
- Why agreement and learning come before rebuttal
- Where the rules help and where they can be overdone
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Introduction
Rapoport’s rules provide a disciplined order for criticism: first show that you genuinely understand another person’s position, then identify areas of agreement, acknowledge what you have learned, and only afterwards present objections. Philosopher Daniel Dennett popularised this sequence in Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking, crediting it to the social psychologist and game theorist Anatol Rapoport. The rules are closely related to steelmanning because they force critics to engage with the strongest version of an opposing view before attempting to refute it. Rather than making disagreement weaker, they make criticism more accurate, more persuasive, and less likely to degenerate into talking past one another. [The Marginalian]themarginalian.orgdaniel dennett rapoport rules criticismThe MarginalianHow to Criticize with Kindness: Philosopher Daniel Dennett …28 Mar 2014 — There are ways to be critical while remaining…
The four-step sequence
Dennett presents the rules as a practical recipe for composing a successful critical commentary rather than as a general appeal to politeness. Their purpose is to improve the quality of disagreement.
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Restate the other person’s position so clearly, vividly and fairly that they could sincerely say, “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.” This is a demanding standard. A merely accurate summary is not enough; the explanation should capture both the reasoning and the strongest motivation behind the position. The Marginalian
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State what you learned from the other person. This step requires intellectual humility. If the exchange has changed your understanding in any respect, however small, you should acknowledge it explicitly. Psychology Today
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to A Better Order for Criticising Ideas. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking
Popularises Rapoport's rules and explains charitable criticism and steelmanning.
How to Have Impossible Conversations
Teaches productive disagreement, charitable listening, and respectful criticism.
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Provides cognitive foundations for improving judgement before criticism.
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Endnotes
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Source: hliyan.medium.com
Title: How to disagree thoughtfully with Rapoport’s Rules
Link: https://hliyan.medium.com/how-to-disagree-thoughtfully-with-rapoports-rules-6ab7366ff894Source snippet
How to disagree thoughtfully with Rapoport's Rules - hliyanTo quote Dennett: “One immediate effect of following these rules is that...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Rogerian argument
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogerian_argument -
Source: medium.com
Link: https://medium.com/%40ramidoss/mastering-disagreements-how-rapoports-rules-can-transform-your-conversations-a343d23bee5dSource snippet
e communication, particularly in debates or disagreements.Read more...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Steel Man Arguments: How to Debate with Respect and Build Better Ideas
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ElaykG0dUgSource snippet
Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking | Daniel Dennett | Talks at Google...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking | Daniel Dennett | Talks at Google
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q_mY54hjM0Source snippet
Rapoport's Rules for Dialogue and Criticism...
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Source: thoughtshrapnel.com
Title: the best antidote
Link: https://thoughtshrapnel.com/2024/03/29/the-best-antidote.htmlSource snippet
for the tendency to caricature one's...Mar 29, 2024 — Maria Popova has extracted four rules which Dennett cites in Intuition Pumps which...
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Source: rightattitudes.com
Title: rapoport rules criticism
Link: https://www.rightattitudes.com/2017/06/16/rapoport-rules-criticism/Source snippet
Rapoport's Rules to Criticize Someone Constructively16 June 2017 — In Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking, philosopher Daniel De...
Published: June 2017
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Source: zhurnaly.com
Title: Intuition Pumps
Link: https://zhurnaly.com/z/Intuition%20Pumps.htmlSource snippet
9 Oct 2024 — Dennett defines them loosely as "intuition pumps", stories that perhaps provoke and develop one's instincts about an issue...
Additional References
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Source: themindcollection.com
Link: https://themindcollection.com/rapoports-rules/Source snippet
Rapoport's Rules: How to Criticise ConstructivelyRapoport's Rules, also known as Dennett's Rules, is a list of four guidelines that detai...
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Source: openculture.com
Title: how to argue with kindness and care 4 rules from philosopher daniel dennett
Link: https://www.openculture.com/2019/06/how-to-argue-with-kindness-and-care-4-rules-from-philosopher-daniel-dennett.htmlSource snippet
4 Rules from Philosopher Daniel Dennett19 Jun 2019 — In his book Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking, Dennett summarizes the cen...
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Source: penguin.co.uk
Title: intuition pumps and other tools for thinking by dennett daniel c
Link: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/181880/intuition-pumps-and-other-tools-for-thinking-by-dennett-daniel-c/9780241954621Source snippet
Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking3 Apr 2014 — Daniel Dennett, one of the world's most original thinkers, reveals a collection...
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Source: scottkeylaw.com
Link: https://scottkeylaw.com/a-helpful-guide-for-argument-rapoports-rules/Source snippet
A Helpful Guide for Argument: Rapoport's Rules17 Oct 2016 — You should mention anything you have learned from your target...
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Source: reddit.com
Title: daniel dennetts formula for steelmanning from his
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/samharris/comments/9agcoy/daniel_dennetts_formula_for_steelmanning_from_his/Source snippet
Daniel Dennett's formula for "steelmanning" (from his 2013...Instead of "steelmanning," which I think is a new phrase, Dennett refers to...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheMarginalian/posts/on-philosopher-daniel-dennetts-birthday-his-enduring-wisdom-on-the-art-science-o/10159453383695745/Source snippet
one's position, Dennett says you should: 1. Restate their...Read more...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/rvn45t/how_to_criticize_with_kindness_philosopher_daniel/Source snippet
Philosopher Daniel Dennett on the Four Steps to Arguing...Here are the 4 steps to do it, from the article: How to compose a successful c...
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Source: andykant.io
Title: Andy’s Blog Rapoport’s Rules: Ethical Debate
Link: https://andykant.io/post/2020-04-15-rapoport-s-rules-ethical-debate/Source snippet
Andy's BlogRapoport's Rules: Ethical Debate - Andy's Blog15 Apr 2020 — Rapoport's Rules by way of Daniel Dennett · You should attempt to...
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Source: bigthink.com
Link: https://bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/rapoports-rules-arguments/Source snippet
Big ThinkRapoport's rules: 4 steps to de-escalate arguments26 Mar 2023 — Rapoport's rules ask us to affirm the other's position before ut...
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Source: emmyvandeurzen.com
Title: blog post title one jel26 ajj7d
Link: https://www.emmyvandeurzen.com/blog-2-1/blog-post-title-one-jel26-ajj7dSource snippet
Reading Daniel Dennett 's Intuition Pumps2 Oct 2025 — Although Rapoport's rules of critical commentary (p.33) are useful they bear all th...
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