---
title: Levels of Heresy
date: 2012-06-08
techne: :wip
episteme: :speculation
---

You may be familiar with PG's [disagreement hierarchy][LW disagreement], ranging from DH0 (name-calling) to DH7 (improve the argument, then refute it). It's used to illustrate how substantial a disagreement really is - are you attacking just superficial aspects or the central point?

That's fine for a bunch of rationalists, but what about debates that *matter*? How do you denounce filthy heretics and blasphemers of all that is holy?

Why, you use the Heresy Hierarchy!

## HH0: Out-Group 

Not even worth engaging. Your enemy clear belongs to no in-group of yours, won't be confused with you, has, in fact, nothing at all in common with you.

Send the missionaries at once.

**Example**: Catholics and Pagans.

## HH1: Succession Dispute

**Example**: Shiites and Sunnites.

## HH2: Canonical Disputes

**Example**:

## HH3: Theological Differences

## HH4: Semantic Differences

**Example**: Homoousians and Homoiousians. (Yes, that's one letter of difference.)


This is the level where even a Grammar Nazis thinks that you're a bit nit-picky.