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>I don't think so, we now call that kind of behaviour a sock puppet account. Why the deception?

When did "looking at both sides of an argument" fall out of favor? It's a practice advised by science, philosophy, politics, all the way back to Plato's dialogues and earlier (which also used different names to present the views) all the way to "Godel, Escher, Bach".

>a sock puppet account

Sock puppet accounts are fake accounts made to seem as many people are in favor of a specific point X. They're meant to amplify X's perceived adoption.

It's not about a single person debating both sides of an argument (X and -X).

In fact, debating also for the opposite of your point, would be close to an opposite of a sock puppet account.



Wait a minute! Douglas Hofstadter predates Plato??!! I learn something new everyday! :)


That would be "all the way to Plato and earlier -and from there- all the way to Hofstadter".

That said, there are probably several senses in which Douglas Hofstadter predates Plato, even more if you believe in reincarnation...




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