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daveFNbuck01/03/20261 replyview on HN

steel-man means trying to interpret someone's argument in the most favorable light rather than arguing against a weaker interpretation. It does not mean making up a different argument for them that you like better.


Replies

seizethecheese01/03/2026

No. What you describe is closer to “giving the benefit of the doubt”. “Straw manning” was always inventing reasons that are easy to refute, and steel manning has always meant its opposite