The Debates Forum (discussion): Philosophy Forums

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The Debates Forum (discussion)

flasher1
Initiate

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Posted 04/14/04 - 08:18 AM:	#11
Great idea. Just wanted to say I'll be reading and hope for some good debate.

Liberepublicat
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Posted 04/14/04 - 09:03 AM:	#12
Mods may have already considered this, but in case they haven't... just a thought about potential topics: If a topic is chosen that already has polarized adherents on both sides, the debate will likely be fairly unproductive and indecisive. When people already firmly believe in one side of an argument, they tend to hear only what they want to hear (valid evidence for their belief) from the advocate of their position, and what they expect to hear (invailid support for any other belief) from the opposition.

Interlocutor
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Posted 04/14/04 - 09:49 AM:	#13
I think that's pretty much the case with most discussion, whether it is formal debate or office politics or whatever. I don't expect anyone to be really enlightened by all this. If they are, that's fantastic. But it isn't up to the moderators to make sure they are. The debates are just a new and potentially interesting format for relevant philosophical and social issues. The job of a debater is to bring their opponents over to their side. If they're good, they'll win some people over. Maybe that will happen. Otherwise, we'll just have a bit of fun.

GreenFleshyFlower
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Posted 04/14/04 - 01:13 PM:	#14
I think we ought to invite Libertarian back for a formal debate on the existence of God or the usefulness of religion. That would be interesting, to say the least.

BMW-Guy
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Posted 04/14/04 - 01:37 PM:	#15
Really, I love to have Mr. Libertarian back, but I think Mr. Interlocuter is well-suited for this job (Moderator of the Debate Forum). Perhaps they need two moderators.

Distortion
Oh yeah?

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Posted 04/14/04 - 02:03 PM:	#16
GreenFleshyFlower wrote: I think we ought to invite Libertarian back for a formal debate on the existence of God or the usefulness of religion. That would be interesting, to say the least. I'll tear him to figurative little pieces! I would positively love to do existence of god / usefulness of religion.
Make your own rules.

GreenFleshyFlower
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Posted 04/14/04 - 02:11 PM:	#17
BMW-Guy wrote: Really, I love to have Mr. Libertarian back, but I think Mr. Interlocuter is well-suited for this job (Moderator of the Debate Forum). Perhaps they need two moderators. I wasn't saying at all that we need another moderator, I meant that it would be interesting to see his debate for the existence of God, since he's one of the only people I've seen on the forums who was able to do that without resorting to name-calling. Well, he did a bit of name-calling, but he was still patient, even if his precious modal ontological argument got torn apart.

GreenFleshyFlower
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Posted 04/14/04 - 05:44 PM:	#18
You know, I just noticed something. As I skim through threads, I (for the most part) only read the posts made by the main arguer for what I perceive to be the more absurd claim and the responses to his posts by the most well-spoken (written?) poster. So I've been doing what this debate forum is for all along; it's just been a little harder. I'm very glad this was created.

armchairphilosopher
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Posted 04/15/04 - 12:38 PM:	#19
So, you're attempting to turn Mass-Debating into a more one on one experience, and people get to observe and post comments? I couldn't resist. I'll get my coat.
Without beginning or end, not created nor started, existing always, forever. Infinite, unmeasurable and therefore unimaginable, does this mean that infinity is a religious belief?

sensabile
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Posted 04/18/04 - 07:38 AM:	#20
Concerning Debate 1, where does the burden of proof stand? ashingular appears to have set out to refute Random's argument rather than argue his side. It has only just begun and so I may be judging too quickly, but as with most things, time will tell.
For the winner there was a big three-legged cauldron to stand over a fire - it was worth a dozen oxen by the Greek's reckoning - and for the loser he brought forward a woman thoroughly trained in domestic work whom they valued at four oxen. -Homer's The Illiad Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? -Mark 9:50

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