Freethought & Rationalism Archive

NialScorva · 06-05-2002, 12:18 AM

I've been moving a lot of threads to various forums over the past couple days, and I thought I'd take a second to explain why. This forum was founded as a place to put purely philosophical topics that didn't relate to an existing forum, such as Existence of God or Morality, but were still worthy of having their own home. So, as a general rule, this is a catch-all forum for topics that are philosophical, but don't relate to one of the other forums. If I think that your topic will receive a better response in another forum, I'll move it there to give it a better chance of eliciting good discussion.

General Guidelines:

- Anything involving specific religions or tenets of religions will be moved to Misc Religious Discussions.
- Anything involving the existence or non-existence of a diety will be moved to Existence of God.

The exception to these two is "meta-discussion", when the debate centers around what the debate is about, the epistemelogical issue of metaphysics rather than metaphysics themself. For example, the <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=56&t=000169" target="_blank">thread on presuppositionalism</a> is ok because it discusses an argument on logical and philosophical grounds, rather than debating the argument itself (though I'm watching it carefully). If the argument were being presented as a case for god, rather than as a case for analysis, it would be moved to EoG.

- Anything discussion particular moral tenents, or their relation to theism/atheism will be moved to Morality.

Again, there's an exception here of "meta-discussions". Questions about the knowability or objectiveness of morality as a function of particular philosophical systems may stay here. However, it's much more likely that they'll be moved to Morality.

Generally, you'll notice that I'm leaning torwards this forum being supportive of epistemelogical and metaphysical issues, as well as discussions of specific philosophers, should it arise. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact Bill Snedden or me.

NialScorva · 08-26-2002, 07:42 AM

Clarification:

If your post contains the words "theist", "atheist", "religion", or "god" (in all states of capitalization), you should strongly consider whether it fits better in another forum.

The topics currently here will remain here for now, but please keep this in mind in the future.

jpbrooks · 08-26-2002, 09:29 AM

Hello, Nial.

Thank you for the guidelines.
Where would topics concerning the psychology of religion be appropriately placed? Would such topics be more appropriately placed in the S&S forum? It doesn't seem clear that they would be. The whole issue surrounding the scientific status of psychology still (curiously) seems controversial.
Which seems to bring us back to philosophy as the only "appropriate" (general) category for such topics.
Since some areas of psychology are clearly scientific (eg., experimental research), perhaps psychological topics that specifically relate to such areas would be appropriate for S&S. But where would that leave topics that are broad enough to include both the scientific aspects of psychology and its non-scientific aspects (such as Transpersonal psychology)?

But perhaps the "problem" that I am "pointing out" is merely a pseudo-problem. I am just curious about how psychological topics (psychology in general and the psychology of religion in particular)should be classified.

[ August 26, 2002: Message edited by: jpbrooks ]

NialScorva · 08-26-2002, 10:59 AM

I don't think I have a hard and fast answer to give you. I'll probably use the "meta-" distintion I mentioned above as the primary guideline. As you mention, specific studies are likely better placed in Sci/Skept. Psychology of religion will likely be moved to Misc Religious Discussions, just because I think it'd be nice to have one forum on this board where there is no religious conversation. For pretty much anything else, I'm inclined to agree this is a better place.

Plump-DJ · 08-26-2002, 01:30 PM

Hmm.. but isn't God (and all the "not God" scenarios) a legit part of philosophy.

NialScorva · 08-26-2002, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Plump-DJ:
Hmm.. but isn't God (and all the "not God" scenarios) a legit part of philosophy.

Feel free to collect opinions on both sides in either the <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=50" target="_blank">Existence of God</a> or <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=45" target="_blank">Miscellaneous Religious Discussions</a> forum.

Christopher Lord · 08-26-2002, 03:59 PM

Formal Debates & Discussions, Philosophy, Existence of God(s), Biblical Criticism & Archaeology, Evolution/Creation, Science & Skepticism, Moral Foundations & Principles, and Non-Abrahamic Religion & Philosophy are all under the same header: II Philosophical Forums
This would indicate that the 'Philosophy' forum is for things which do not fit under any of the other forums in this catagory.

Bill · 08-26-2002, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Christopher Lord:
This would indicate that the 'Philosophy' forum is for things which do not fit under any of the other forums in this catagory.

This is not strictly true.

The original intent in forming this forum was to have a place for "higher level" discussions; a place where the SecWeb's "greatest thinkers" could get together and interact on a higher level with the best members of the public.

Thus, in some sense, the Philosophy Forum lies somewhere between all of the other philosophical forums and the "Formal Debates" forum.

Topic should not be the sole reason for moving a topic to another forum. Even an "Existence of Gods" thread could be appropriate here if it was dealing in a deeply philosophical way with one of the major arguments for or against the idea of some god(s) existing. (Thus, our recent foray into Craig's Kalam argument in the <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=56&t=000333" target="_blank">Infinite regression</a> thread.)

== Bill

06-05-2002, 12:18 AM	#1
NialScorva Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Median strip of DC beltway Posts: 1,888	Philosophy forum moderation I've been moving a lot of threads to various forums over the past couple days, and I thought I'd take a second to explain why. This forum was founded as a place to put purely philosophical topics that didn't relate to an existing forum, such as Existence of God or Morality, but were still worthy of having their own home. So, as a general rule, this is a catch-all forum for topics that are philosophical, but don't relate to one of the other forums. If I think that your topic will receive a better response in another forum, I'll move it there to give it a better chance of eliciting good discussion. General Guidelines: - Anything involving specific religions or tenets of religions will be moved to Misc Religious Discussions. - Anything involving the existence or non-existence of a diety will be moved to Existence of God. The exception to these two is "meta-discussion", when the debate centers around what the debate is about, the epistemelogical issue of metaphysics rather than metaphysics themself. For example, the <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=56&t=000169" target="_blank">thread on presuppositionalism</a> is ok because it discusses an argument on logical and philosophical grounds, rather than debating the argument itself (though I'm watching it carefully). If the argument were being presented as a case for god, rather than as a case for analysis, it would be moved to EoG. - Anything discussion particular moral tenents, or their relation to theism/atheism will be moved to Morality. Again, there's an exception here of "meta-discussions". Questions about the knowability or objectiveness of morality as a function of particular philosophical systems may stay here. However, it's much more likely that they'll be moved to Morality. Generally, you'll notice that I'm leaning torwards this forum being supportive of epistemelogical and metaphysical issues, as well as discussions of specific philosophers, should it arise. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact Bill Snedden or me.

08-26-2002, 09:29 AM	#3
jpbrooks Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chicago Posts: 774	Hello, Nial. Thank you for the guidelines. Where would topics concerning the psychology of religion be appropriately placed? Would such topics be more appropriately placed in the S&S forum? It doesn't seem clear that they would be. The whole issue surrounding the scientific status of psychology still (curiously) seems controversial. Which seems to bring us back to philosophy as the only "appropriate" (general) category for such topics. Since some areas of psychology are clearly scientific (eg., experimental research), perhaps psychological topics that specifically relate to such areas would be appropriate for S&S. But where would that leave topics that are broad enough to include both the scientific aspects of psychology and its non-scientific aspects (such as Transpersonal psychology)? But perhaps the "problem" that I am "pointing out" is merely a pseudo-problem. I am just curious about how psychological topics (psychology in general and the psychology of religion in particular)should be classified. [ August 26, 2002: Message edited by: jpbrooks ]</p>

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08-26-2002, 07:42 AM	#2
NialScorva Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Median strip of DC beltway Posts: 1,888	Clarification: If your post contains the words "theist", "atheist", "religion", or "god" (in all states of capitalization), you should strongly consider whether it fits better in another forum. The topics currently here will remain here for now, but please keep this in mind in the future.

08-26-2002, 10:59 AM	#4
NialScorva Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Median strip of DC beltway Posts: 1,888	I don't think I have a hard and fast answer to give you. I'll probably use the "meta-" distintion I mentioned above as the primary guideline. As you mention, specific studies are likely better placed in Sci/Skept. Psychology of religion will likely be moved to Misc Religious Discussions, just because I think it'd be nice to have one forum on this board where there is no religious conversation. For pretty much anything else, I'm inclined to agree this is a better place.

08-26-2002, 01:30 PM	#5
Plump-DJ Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Oztralia (Aussie Aussie Aussie) Posts: 153	Hmm.. but isn't God (and all the "not God" scenarios) a legit part of philosophy.

08-26-2002, 03:59 PM	#7
Christopher Lord Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 808	Formal Debates & Discussions, Philosophy, Existence of God(s), Biblical Criticism & Archaeology, Evolution/Creation, Science & Skepticism, Moral Foundations & Principles, and Non-Abrahamic Religion & Philosophy are all under the same header: II Philosophical Forums This would indicate that the 'Philosophy' forum is for things which do not fit under any of the other forums in this catagory.

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