FAQ
1. What is The Rationality Project?
A method for engaging difficult conversations online. We teach people how to stay calm, ask clear questions, and test claims in public...without the emotional drain of traditional debate.
2. How is this different from regular debating?
Most people argue to win. We ask questions to expose reasoning. Instead of throwing facts at people locked in defense mode, we use calm questioning that lets weak arguments reveal themselves. It's less exhausting and more effective.
3. Do I need special qualifications to use this method?
No. If you've ever been frustrated by an online argument, you can learn this. The method works because it's based on how people actually think and defend beliefs, not on having superior knowledge.
4. Why don't you just correct people with facts?
Because facts don't change minds until people are ready to hear them. A good question opens space; facts fill it. Get the order right and you'll actually make progress instead of just frustrating yourself.
5. Is this just a nicer way to argue?
It's a fundamentally different approach. You're not trying to defeat the person you're talking to. You're testing their claims in public for everyone watching. When you stop performing outrage and start asking clear questions, everything changes.
6. What if someone is clearly wrong about something important?
Ask them how they know what they know. Let their own reasoning reveal the gaps. A question like "What would change your mind about this?" is more powerful than any fact you could throw at them.
7. How do I join or get started?
Start by reading the Core Method and trying it in low-stakes conversations. Practice asking "What makes you think that?" instead of saying "You're wrong because..." You'll notice the difference immediately.
8. Do you target specific political viewpoints or beliefs?
No. Identity-fused reasoning exists across all political and ideological spectrums. The method works equally well whether someone is making unsupported claims about health, politics, science, or any other topic.
9. What if people think I'm being manipulative?
If your questions are honest and you're genuinely testing claims rather than setting traps, that comes through. The method is transparent: you're asking what they believe and why. There's nothing hidden.
10. How is this different from being a "debate bro"?
Debate bros perform for the crowd by destroying opponents. We engage for the crowd by asking questions the opponent can't answer cleanly. One approach creates heat; the other creates contrast. The silent audience sees the difference.
11. What if the other person won't engage honestly?
Then you've already won. Dodges, deflections, and ghosting are answers. The silent audience sees someone who couldn't address a clear question. Exit cleanly, knowing the question did its work.
12. Can this really work on social media?
Yes, because you're not just talking to the person who replies. You're demonstrating something to everyone watching. A calm, clear question stands out in a sea of angry responses. The audience notices the contrast.
13. What kind of training do you offer?
We teach specific techniques: how to stay inside their frame, how to ask questions that reveal contradictions, how to stay clinical under pressure, and how to recognize when silence is the win. It's practical, not theoretical.
14. How do I know if it's working?
Success looks different than winning an argument. Look for: staying calm when they get defensive, asking a question that makes them pause, feeling clear instead of drained, and exiting without regret. When they dodge or ghost, that's the answer. Those are your new victory conditions.