[camperman]

> I'm simply supposing that he tried out the same argument in an informal context first, and that's what he's complaining about here.

Right, so you made that up. You're objecting strongly to something you THINK he MAY have done. Maybe.

> [1] Yes, it was. Don't pretend that it wasn't.

His thesis speaks for itself. Your objection to it is really your objection to what you THINK he means, instead of what he said. I think you may have just proved a few of his points.