Are analogies acceptable as answers?

Question

I recently had an NAA flag declined and was given the following reason:

declined - It answers the question using an argument by analogy

Are analogies really acceptable as answers, particularly ones with no supporting evidence? At best they provide a vague explanation, at worst they might not even be understood as analogies can differ by region or country.

Should we really be accepting these poor attempts at an answer as actual answers?

Answer 1

Of course.

An argument by analogy is a perfectly good example of a reasonable argument which can be used to support a point. If someone asks why X happens in a work of sci-fi or fantasy, it may well make perfect sense to explain it by pointing to known reasons why X' happens in the real world and extrapolating from that analogous situation.

Here are some of the answers I found on a quick 1-minute search which are based primarily or entirely on arguments by analogy:

• Why does everyone think that the Millennium Falcon is a piece of junk? (score 47)
• Why does everyone think that the Millennium Falcon is a piece of junk? (score 230)
• Why are ships in Star Wars so ridiculously easy to steal? (score 74)
• Does no one run in Star Trek? (score 132)
• Why is it that after 8,000 years, technology in Westeros has not evolved in the world of the Game of Thrones? (score 85)
• How much would a ticket to Jurassic World cost? (score 65)

Somehow I doubt you'll be flagging many of these as NaA ;-)

Answer 2

A poor attempt at an answer is still an answer

The bar for what constitutes "an answer" is extremely low. From what you say, the user was attempting to answer the question, which is more than enough for a "Not an answer" flag to be declined.

If you believe it is a bad answer, it is certainly a good idea to down vote it.

Answer 3

The specific answer referred to has been deleted, but to address the general question:

By analogy, if you were dealing with an advanced AI of some sort and it got locked up due to unclarity of factors involved in a calculation/decision, you might resolve the lockup with a new piece of input that was only indirectly related to the exact question.

So if, for instance, the AI were locked up on an equation (decision) concerning trees, and could not determine whether they should require active watering or should be left grow on their own (or whatever), it might be able to supply an educated guess or at least "make up its mind" and proceed merrily on its way if fed the datum that an idea, when planted in a society in the form of a book, can grow and transform quite without guidance.

Or it might find the analogy somewhat irrelevant and mind-bendingly unclear, and stay stuck in its dilemma. That could depend on the analogy used.

Now read this answer again. ;)