But why make an account for somewhere that that’s only required for posting, when you’re not going to post?

No idea. Same thing happens on twitch and reddit.

Invisible lurkers > Registered Lurkers > Posters.

No, the forum is not even close to a reflection of the world. The people it attracts are highly specific. I also think that making generalised forum thread is more likely to get posts. You can make some crazy obscure and unique thread but nobody will respond and you'll stop doing it pretty fast.

The forum couldn't be a reflection of the world for the simple reason that the sample is not representative. Most members are either from the USA or the UK, some from Australia. The entire continent of Africa and large parts of Asia are missing from the forum.:chin: — TheMadFool

No, clearly not the world, if your assumption is correct. But you cannot know if the posters are from countries like Africa or Asia. Or maybe you referring to the imbalance from your perception of posts here? But let’s assume you’re right; the forum represents part of the world. That world, I’m assuming, is Western, and by that I mean the culture that has developed from Greek origins. I think that contributes to confirming my feelings about this forum as a metaphor for that world (the West), one of ennui and loss of direction. Because that is the world that may have exhausted itself first, or may have jettisoned too many traditions and beliefs along the way. Is it the exhaustion of the postmodern world? Maybe.

So your post has helped me focus on this a little more, which is what I hoped for.

Edit: I should have said continents not countries as pointed out by Wheatley.

from countries like Africa or Asia. — Brett

Very interesting link (here).

it’s good to remember that you are essentially a microcosm; one consciousness experiencing a small part of the world and influenced through your particular society or culture. — Pinprick

I don’t think that’s necessarily true. We are no longer “ one consciousness experiencing a small part of the world and influenced through your particular society or culture.” We are exposed to a global culture that has no centre. The COVID virus has raged across the world, but I personally have only lived it through television and the internet. But the culture I live in is loose and uncentered and it’s influence on those around me is less than it once was. In fact I might go so far to say there is no longer a sense of culture. There is something but I’m not sure how to define it.

As our knowledge grows, the island expands, but so does it’s shore, which is to say the more we learn the more we realize how much there is we don’t know. What do you think? — Pinprick

Any intelligent person would realise how little they know. But to realise that then one needs to be intelligent. And what makes someone intelligent? Is it information, opinion, experience, exposure to news stories? What would it, should it, be? And who decides what it is, how it’s taught, how it’s passed on, how it’s used?

You can make some crazy obscure and unique thread but nobody will respond and you'll stop doing it pretty fast. — Judaka

Well I guess that’s natural selection at work.

Very interesting link (here). — Wheatley

I went there but I don’t get it.

There’s nothing to get, so don’t worry about it. *Im so random*

I thought it was related to Africa and Asia. But yes, you’re right.

It was very wise of you to mention those countries. That’s why I wrote it there.

Don’t overthink it. It was dumb on my part.

I’m thoroughly confused now.

Maybe @Banno can help you.

Not I.

Aren’t Wittgensteinians able to sort out confusing language?

@Brett I’m playing dumb.

@Banno Apologize for dragging you into this.

Only when there is some point to what is being said...

I found it funny that you wrote country instead of continent. Did you at least get that part?

I was mistaken. You’re dismissed.

I found it funny that you wrote country instead of continent. Did you at least get that part? — Wheatley

No I didn’t even notice. Slack on my part.

Slack on my part too. I thought @Banno would find this interesting. :sweat:

I don’t think that’s necessarily true. We are no longer “ one consciousness experiencing a small part of the world and influenced through your particular society or culture.” We are exposed to a global culture that has no centre. The COVID virus has raged across the world, but I personally have only lived it through television and the internet. But the culture I live in is loose and uncentered and it’s influence on those around me is less than it once was. In fact I might go so far to say there is no longer a sense of culture. There is something but I’m not sure how to define it. — Brett

That’s all somewhat true, but I’d argue that there is a big difference between vicariously experiencing “culture” and living it. Regardless of how connected you are to the rest of the world, where you specifically live has a profound effect on your perceptions, opinions, etc. Perhaps you live in a cosmopolitan, multicultural area, but you’re still influenced by your local political system, predominant religion, reward system, education system, etc.

Any intelligent person would realise how little they know. But to realise that then one needs to be intelligent. And what makes someone intelligent? Is it information, opinion, experience, exposure to news stories? What would it, should it, be? And who decides what it is, how it’s taught, how it’s passed on, how it’s used? — Brett

I’ll go with knowledge and culture. Culture defines what is important to know, and reinforces actions that acquire knowledge or use it. Therefore it is passed on through memes, history, etc. Knowledge is justified true belief, but also more than that, like knowing how to do something, how to work within a system, etc.

I signed up for an account thinking I was going to start posting - then quickly realized I was in over my head and needed to figure out how I could fit in. It was a year before I posted by first response - and after two years I still have not done an OP. Maybe one of these years . . . :smile:

Honestly, I suspect that someone who thinks they’re going to be in over their head would make a better forum participant than someone who thinks they have it all figured out but really doesn’t. You can ask honest questions, even “stupid” ones, and people can give you their different answers, and argue with each other, trying to convince you the new guy that each other are wrong. Sounds a lot more productive and enjoyable than yet another “look I proved that God exists“ type of thread.

What @Pfhorrest said. I don't think any of us really know what we're doing. Any confidence displayed on here is just courage (or arrogance/recklessness) in the face of epistemic uncertainty I suspect.

Is the forum just a reflection of the world, that we’ve reached a sort of evolutionary point of weariness without any reason to struggle or make things new? Is there really nothing new to come, is it out there ahead of us or do we have to create it? — Brett

Forums like these need new members.

Questions like is 0,999=1 and the poor guy venturing here after reading Ayn Rand and wishing a discussion about her work is what keeps up these places. Some philosophical questions pop up all the time.

I never underestimate the collective wisdom in PF. From this forum (or was it the predecessor) I got great responses that I have used in real life. I've also gotten really good advice on mathematic literature, which helped me a lot.

Does this reflect the World? Perhaps so much as a small community of more than average educated and informed people who write English can.

The OPs that get the most attention are about Trump or racism, where everyone feels okay yelling at each other and calling each other names. (You’d think everyone would have made their point by now). — Brett

Well, that's because this is a "left-leaning forum" - as stated by some of the mods themselves. So, this forum certainly isn't a reflection of the world - only part of it. It's a shame because we do need effective police reform for everyone, but those that are condoning looting, violence, defunding the police and focusing on race are overzealous and overreaching and will hurt the legitimate movement to change how police polices it's citizens.

I think I've made my points, which is why I've moved on to other threads, but even there you'll find ad homs being thrown about, and it turns a viable discussion into a shouting match, or tit-for-tat - the likes of which you find elsewhere on FB, Youtube, Twitter, etc. I think most of the recent bannings were more of a means to curtail some of the sub-par OPs, like you were talking about, and that is perfectly fine. While I think we should be accepting of new-comers and those that don't have a degree in philosophy, we should also limit obvious trolling and fundamentals using the forums as a means to proselytize (not just in religious topics but political ones as well).