Discussion of Forum Rules - OLD

Official website announcements are posted in this forum.

If you have questions, suggestions, or need support or help with anything, please email [email protected].
Augustus Calvin
Posts: 1
Joined: September 15th, 2010, 12:21 am

Post by Augustus Calvin »

I joined this forum about 15 minutes ago. Already I have noticed such an absurd quantity of rules and stipulations that I doubt if I will be back. Your rule against 'preaching' was particularly annoying. Everyone presupposes an unquestionable source of authority when approaching an argument - why not allow the users to evaluate and criticize each other logically rather than playing the 'thought police'?
Wowbagger
Posts: 649
Joined: July 19th, 2010, 9:46 am
Favorite Philosopher: Peter Singer _ David Pearce

Post by Wowbagger »

Augustus Calvin wrote:Your rule against 'preaching' was particularly annoying. Everyone presupposes an unquestionable source of authority when approaching an argument - why not allow the users to evaluate and criticize each other logically rather than playing the 'thought police'?
I don't think everyone presupposes an unquestionable source of authority. And simply stating what one believes and trying to convince others is not preaching. It becomes preaching when it is done in almost every thread, and when the person doesn't even listen to the arguments and keeps posting the same stuff, i.e. Bible verses even though it has been pointed out that they don't count as a valid source of knowledge.
User avatar
pjkeeley
Posts: 695
Joined: April 10th, 2007, 8:41 am

Post by pjkeeley »

Augustus Calvin wrote:I joined this forum about 15 minutes ago. Already I have noticed such an absurd quantity of rules and stipulations that I doubt if I will be back. Your rule against 'preaching' was particularly annoying. Everyone presupposes an unquestionable source of authority when approaching an argument - why not allow the users to evaluate and criticize each other logically rather than playing the 'thought police'?
Thought police? Is that kind of hyperbole really necessary in reference to an internet forum?

I think the rule against preaching is perfectly reasonable. Preaching isn't philosophy. This is a philosophy forum.
Eveready
Banned
Posts: 348
Joined: June 19th, 2010, 10:30 pm

Post by Eveready »

Scott you have a PM from me. I think preaching doesn`t only pertain to the theist`s on board.
Belinda
Premium Member
Posts: 13815
Joined: July 10th, 2008, 7:02 pm
Location: UK

Post by Belinda »

Eveready, that is a fair judgement. I myself have been influenced, to my benefit, by someone called 'nameless' who has posted here a lot many months ago and who played on the same theme of 'perceptions' and who seemed not to be a theist.

Some actual theist preachers , who earn their livings from preaching, would benfit us here especially if the professional preachers were literate.The benefit would be to sharpen our wits on their ideas, and perhaps get some novel ideas from their ideas.We none of us philosophers have to buy the whole farm.
Socialist
User avatar
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
The admin formerly known as Scott
Posts: 5765
Joined: January 20th, 2007, 6:24 pm
Favorite Philosopher: Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
Contact:

Post by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes »

Firstly, my post about "preaching" is an elaboration of part of rule #7 and applies to all on-topic forums not just the philosophy of religion forum. It applies regardless of whether one is "preaching" that the sky is blue or "preaching" that angels exist; it applies to religious topics, scientific topics or whatever. The rule is simply, "When posting a new thread, you must pose some sort of philosophical argument or question." It's in #7. The reason I have a post in the philosophy of religion thread elaborating the rule is because that is where I encounter the most violations of it.

All arguments start from somewhere and contains some assumptions. The thing that isn't allowed which can be called "preaching" and can occur in non-religious topics as well as religious ones is when someone does not post an argument at all but only posts statements.

For instance, if I created a thread with just the following post, it would be deleted as preaching:
The sky is interestingly beautiful blue. It is not red. It is not green. It is not pink. It it not ugly or disgusting. It is not boring. The sky is very blue. The sky is very beautiful. The sky is very interesting.
It is not whether or not the series of statements is about religion, about science or whatever that makes it in violation of rule #7, i.e. "preaching." As in the case of the non-religious example above, what makes it a violation is that it is not philosophy; it does not contain an argument or questions.

Thank you for asking questions about the rules. If any of you have any other questions about the rules, please post them. I want the rules to be simple and clear.
My entire political philosophy summed up in one tweet.

"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."

I believe spiritual freedom (a.k.a. self-discipline) manifests as bravery, confidence, grace, honesty, love, and inner peace.
Eveready
Banned
Posts: 348
Joined: June 19th, 2010, 10:30 pm

Post by Eveready »

Eveready, that is a fair judgement.
Thank you Belinda :) and Thank you Scott for explaining it fully. I understand what could be considered preaching is not theism but a statement without a question. :)
User avatar
Im4ever
Posts: 28
Joined: October 26th, 2010, 3:24 pm

Post by Im4ever »

I know this has been posted before in this thread, but it appears it needs to be reviewed yet again.

Reference Rule #2: A heated on topic debate is a heated on topic debate. However, a flaming attack is not a heated on topic debate.

Putting a smiley face at the end of a dozen sentences of burning napalm will not turn your flaming attack into a heated on topic debate.

If you can not refute the idea or argument of the person who made the post with the wisdom of your prose in your response, ad hominem attacks will not refute the idea or argument either.

Scott, if this needs to be somewhere else, PM me and let me know. Just had to get this off my chest so I can get to bed.
"Philosophy is the talk on a cereal box." Edie Brickell
Admiral usher
Posts: 48
Joined: October 30th, 2010, 11:15 pm

Re: Philosophy Forums Rules

Post by Admiral usher »

I lost several blogs I guess from not obeying the rules.In order to improve service you could send the mail back with an explation why it was rejected.At least in this way I would not have to lose the blog and correct what ever mistake that I made
Allan/ Aka admiral usher
Wooden shoe
Posts: 1510
Joined: March 6th, 2011, 12:25 am
Location: Dryden ON Canada

Post by Wooden shoe »

sunday afternoon/evening while on this site, using Google Chrome as my browser, the SNAP window came up 3 times over a 5 hours. I am on central time.
Each time I had used the name of the recently departed terrorist, coincidence?
Or is there a filter for extreme scumbags.
I had posted on other topics with no problem.
I will try again without the use of that name.
We experience today through the lens of all our yesterdays
Belinda
Premium Member
Posts: 13815
Joined: July 10th, 2008, 7:02 pm
Location: UK

Post by Belinda »

Wowee! A conspiracy!
Socialist
Wooden shoe
Posts: 1510
Joined: March 6th, 2011, 12:25 am
Location: Dryden ON Canada

Post by Wooden shoe »

Thanks a lot Belinda :lol:
However this shows a side of you I have not seen before.
I was starting to think I was doing something wrong, so read the rules again and found that I had pretty well stayed within the rules.
Being a one finger typist it was a case of "what the......" when the very weighty :lol: response just vanished.
This happened while i was typing and before submitting.
We experience today through the lens of all our yesterdays
User avatar
Eston
Posts: 85
Joined: August 19th, 2011, 3:33 pm

Re: Philosophy Forums Rules

Post by Eston »

Again I am apparently rejected. I strikes me that the reasons cited are spurious.

eston e. roberts
(eston)
----
Eston Roberts
"All reality is derived from metaphor."
http://www.EstonRoberts.com
Schaps
Posts: 809
Joined: March 30th, 2012, 2:42 am
Favorite Philosopher: Nietzsche

Re: Philosophy Forums Rules

Post by Schaps »

Concerning basic English, it seems that many of the arguments proposed in the forums are barely intelligible due to poor grammar, syntax and morphology. This makes it very difficult to follow the thought process! This is unfortunately the weakness of a virtual philosophy club compared with a live one - where members can be immediately asked to rephrase a statement in order to clarify their argument. I suggest that members of this "club" be strongly encouraged to critically evaluate the readability of their posts before submission.
User avatar
WILAWAI_42
New Trial Member
Posts: 1
Joined: May 17th, 2012, 5:10 pm

Re: Philosophy Forums Rules

Post by WILAWAI_42 »

I have just found this forum, and I want to make sure I don't break any rules. I am an author- and have written a book of philosophy. I don't intend on advertising it or spaming, but the question is can I refer to its content when it fits with a discussion, or is that still regarded as spam? I really want to find a place where I can discuss my ideas, and it would be great if I can refer to my current work. But if it's not allowed, then that's fair enough. Thanks for letting me know. Happy day to you.
Locked

Return to “Forum Announcements”

2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise
by John K Danenbarger
January 2023

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
February 2023

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023

The Unfakeable Code®

The Unfakeable Code®
by Tony Jeton Selimi
April 2023

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
by Alan Watts
May 2023

Killing Abel

Killing Abel
by Michael Tieman
June 2023

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead
by E. Alan Fleischauer
July 2023

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough
by Mark Unger
August 2023

Predictably Irrational

Predictably Irrational
by Dan Ariely
September 2023

Artwords

Artwords
by Beatriz M. Robles
November 2023

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope
by Dr. Randy Ross
December 2023

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes
by Ali Master
February 2024

2022 Philosophy Books of the Month

Emotional Intelligence At Work

Emotional Intelligence At Work
by Richard M Contino & Penelope J Holt
January 2022

Free Will, Do You Have It?

Free Will, Do You Have It?
by Albertus Kral
February 2022

My Enemy in Vietnam

My Enemy in Vietnam
by Billy Springer
March 2022

2X2 on the Ark

2X2 on the Ark
by Mary J Giuffra, PhD
April 2022

The Maestro Monologue

The Maestro Monologue
by Rob White
May 2022

What Makes America Great

What Makes America Great
by Bob Dowell
June 2022

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!
by Jerry Durr
July 2022

Living in Color

Living in Color
by Mike Murphy
August 2022 (tentative)

The Not So Great American Novel

The Not So Great American Novel
by James E Doucette
September 2022

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches
by John N. (Jake) Ferris
October 2022

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All
by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
November 2022

The Smartest Person in the Room: The Root Cause and New Solution for Cybersecurity

The Smartest Person in the Room
by Christian Espinosa
December 2022

2021 Philosophy Books of the Month

The Biblical Clock: The Untold Secrets Linking the Universe and Humanity with God's Plan

The Biblical Clock
by Daniel Friedmann
March 2021

Wilderness Cry: A Scientific and Philosophical Approach to Understanding God and the Universe

Wilderness Cry
by Dr. Hilary L Hunt M.D.
April 2021

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute: Tools To Spark Your Dream And Ignite Your Follow-Through

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute
by Jeff Meyer
May 2021

Surviving the Business of Healthcare: Knowledge is Power

Surviving the Business of Healthcare
by Barbara Galutia Regis M.S. PA-C
June 2021

Winning the War on Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure

Winning the War on Cancer
by Sylvie Beljanski
July 2021

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
by Dr Frank L Douglas
August 2021

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts
by Mark L. Wdowiak
September 2021

The Preppers Medical Handbook

The Preppers Medical Handbook
by Dr. William W Forgey M.D.
October 2021

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress: A Practical Guide

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress
by Dr. Gustavo Kinrys, MD
November 2021

Dream For Peace: An Ambassador Memoir

Dream For Peace
by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
December 2021