I think this forum is great except for the times when I get annoyed by it. But overall I think the quality is very good considering that the only entry criteria is a valid email address and promise to abide by the rules. There’s always a certain amount of static but overall it’s outweighed by the quality posters, thanks to all of you.

In general, some of the spirit has gone out of the forum. I think some of the quality of the discussions has gone down too. I still love the forum. — T Clark

I blame Covid and the lockdowns. It's sucked the energy out of me.

I haven't been here for very long but as a general impression, I think there is too much philosofizing and arguing and not enough philosophy.

Discussions should be less politicized and more balanced between the political "right" and "left". People shouldn't be attacked for criticizing Marxist political philosophy, for example. Otherwise, the forum becomes a generally left-wing to far-left enterprise and there is no real dialogue.

Also, I don't seem to find any info on where this forum is located or who exactly owns or controls it. Does anyone know?

Has this site gotten worse? — hypericin

Or...have you gotten better?

I'm betting on you having improved in which case this site ain't no longer going to be of any benefit to you. You've graduated from this forum sir/madam, Congratulations! It's time to look for greener pastures. Good luck and do drop by when you feel like it and share your new-found knowledge/wisdom with your poor cousins (us). :smile:

life kept me away until fall 2019. — 180 Proof

Our loss, not yours!

I have looked at the shoutbox several times while it was in the lounge and couldn't make much sense of it all. I read how some people seem to view it as central to the forum. I am a bit confused because it just seems to be a disjointed jumble, so what is the shoutbox meant to be, or is it just for people to say anything about anything?

I have looked at the shoutbox several times while it was in the lounge and couldn't make much sense of it all. I read how some people seem to view it as central to the forum. I am a bit confused because it just seems to be a disjointed jumble, so what is the shoutbox meant to be, or is it just for people to say anything about anything? — Jack Cummins

Just a place for casual talk.

But overall I think the quality is very good considering that the only entry criteria is a valid email address and promise to abide by the rules. — Wayfarer

This definitely might be a factor if posts are of poor quality but then there's this paradox: if one must make quality posts, one must be an experienced poster; if one must be an experienced poster, one must, at one time, be a beginner; if one is a beginner, one usually makes bad posts; conclusion: if one must make quality posts, one (at some point) makes bad posts! :joke:

I think an important question is what the poll would look like had it been phrased “Has this site gotten better?” Confirmation bias and all that.

I haven't been around long, just found the site recently, but I would suggest, that even though it has been a short period, the quality of the responses has gone downhill, mostly from a surprising increase in name calling and profanity. The name calling is surprising and detracts from the discussion. Maybe that's not new though, I haven't been around on the site that long.

Yep, I'll agree with that. The quality of posts has gone down hill since you joined.

Opinions vary, but I don't name call.

I wonder if rather than looking back with almost a sense of nostalgia to previous times on the forum, it is worth thinking how we can all work to make the forum a better place for exchange of ideas.

Any philosophy forum that doesn't incorporate logic is a failed philosophy forum. When you can't differentiate the content of your site with what we see on FB and Twitter, what's the point?

This is as social media-ish as I get. I have no frame of reference for the other sites you mentioned.

Count yourself as one of the lucky ones.

Thanks. It was a conscious decision years ago, I have just stuck with it.

I don't know, but we do get these types of threads every few years. On the old forum too. So, it could be a "remember the good old day's" phenomenon. Then again, if you look at discourse in general, e.g. compare a 1970's U.S. celebrity interview with one today, there can be a clear decline in some quarters over time.

You may, quite possibly, have been right about this all along.

We are only responsible for our own individual contributions. Be the change you want to see.

Hey, I got some shit for free! This free shit really sucks!

I love the place except for ungrateful cunts.

've put the Shoutbox back on the main page, in a new category (currently closed to new discussions) called "Symposium", and pinned at the top. — jamalrob

This is great. Thank you.

:smirk:

Any philosophy forum that doesn't incorporate logic is a failed philosophy forum. When you can't differentiate the content of your site with what we see on FB and Twitter, what's the point? — Harry Hindu

Not to contradict you but take a look at :point: Irrationalism (Britannica)

[Irrationalism is the position] that reason is inherently defective and incapable of knowing the universe without distortion... — Britannica

and also :point: Criticism of Rationalism (Wikipedia)

... Arthur Schopenhauer, describes the world as not organized in a rational way — Wikipedia

My focus was on the over-abundance of religious and political discussions on this forum - both of which are rife with irrationality and emotional outbursts, not unlike what you see all over FB and Twitter.

Try defending Irrationalism without using rationality.

What is even more ironic are those that use rationality in religious discussions abandon it in political discussionsand vice versa.

I blame Covid and the lockdowns. It's sucked the energy out of me. — Michael

I hadn't thought of that. That may be true.

My focus was on the over-abundance of religious and political discussions on this forum - both of which are ripe with irrationality and emotional outbursts, not unlike what you see all over FB and Twitter.

Try defending Irrationalism without using rationality. — Harry Hindu

Well, that's the catch isn't it? Rationalism recommends irrationalism, if not everywhere, at least in some areas where millennia of rational inquiry has nothing to show for it. Just saying.

You're right about needing to avoid a Facebookization of the forum. I second that but with a certain amount of guilt I must say; after all I could be one of the people involved in this most undesirable transformation.

Well, that's the catch isn't it? Rationalism recommends irrationalism, if not everywhere, at least in some areas where millennia of rational inquiry has nothing to show for it. Just saying. — TheMadFool

What areas are you talking about, specifically? Why would rationalism/irrationalism work in some areas and not others? What makes these areas different in why one works and the other doesn't?

I try and make it more interesting with #GuestSpeakers and #ReadingGroups. Those are my two main contributions.

I plan to start a new reading group discussion group.

What areas are you talking about, specifically? Why would rationalism/irrationalism work in some areas and not others? What makes these areas different in why one works and the other doesn't? — Harry Hindu

Did you read the links I gave? I'm not completely sure about this but to be fair to irrationalism, rationalism hasn't much to show for its roughly 2 millennia old reign. In some circles, that would be considered a monumental failure, no?

Look at these threads in this forum itself,

Does philosophy make progress? If so how?

Is there something like the [sic] progress in philosophical debate?

Can the philosophical mysteries be solved at all?

Just the tip of the iceberg of threads on philosophical "progress."

I guess some philosophers simply gave up on rationality in utter frustration and wanted to try something new à la alternative medicine which has a similar reason for its popularity which is failure of allopathic treatment regimes and that "something new" is irrationalism.

I love the place except for ungrateful cunts. — Benkei

What about us grateful cunts?