Topic: Updated: Debate Forum Rules and Guidelines

[Anumati]

Although the Debate sub-forum has its own set of rules, the general forum rules still apply.

Violations of Debate specific rules may result in Debate specific sanctions. It is possible for a poster to be muted in the debate forum only, for example. The mods and admins reserve the right to decide if a sanction will apply only in the Debate forum or generally.

Part 1: Actual rules which must be followed or there will be Consequences

    [1] Voltaire said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Be polite and respectful, even if you dislike what the other is saying.
    [2] No personal attacks.
    [3] "But they started it!" is not a valid excuse.
    [4] Be prepared to back up factual statements with reputable sources, and where at all possible, to cite those sources.
    [5] Be mindful of the logical fallacies. If you insist on using fallacies, we will feed you to the Shuggoth.
    [6] Read all the previous posts before responding.

Some notes about rules 4 and 5:

We do not expect you to back up every single thing you say with a mountain of evidence. However, if you make a factual statement and then cannot provide at least some evidence to support your fact, be prepared to surrender that line of argument.

Use of a logical fallacy in and of itself is not rule breaking. Some fallacies are quite slippery and difficult to catch. But if you continue to insist that your point is valid after someone else has pointed out the flaw in your logic, then there may be problems.

Part 2: Guidelines which will make your sojourn in the Debate Forum much more pleasant for everyone involved.

    * Remember, it's only a debate on the internet. Don't take it too seriously.
    * We all have lives outside the forum. If someone takes a long time responding, it does not mean they have left.
    * Try to quote the previous poster to whom you are responding, where appropriate, to minimize confusion. (Attributing the quote would be nice too)
    * Try to keep The 10 Signs of Intellectual Honesty in mind while composing your posts.

The 10 Signs of Intellectual Honesty

October 20th, 2008 by Mike Gene

When it comes to just about any topic, it seems as if the public discourse on the internet is dominated by rhetoric and propaganda. People are either selling products or ideology. In fact, just because someone may come across as calm and knowledgeable does not mean you should let your guard down and trust what they say. What you need to look for is a track record of intellectual honesty. Let me therefore propose 10 signs of intellectual honesty.

1. Do not overstate the power of your argument. One’s sense of conviction should be in proportion to the level of clear evidence assessable by most. If someone portrays their opponents as being either stupid or dishonest for disagreeing, intellectual dishonesty is probably in play. Intellectual honesty is most often associated with humility, not arrogance.

2. Show a willingness to publicly acknowledge that reasonable alternative viewpoints exist. The alternative views do not have to be treated as equally valid or powerful, but rarely is it the case that one and only one viewpoint has a complete monopoly on reason and evidence.

3. Be willing to publicly acknowledge and question one’s own assumptions and biases. All of us rely on assumptions when applying our world view to make sense of the data about the world. And all of us bring various biases to the table.

4. Be willing to publicly acknowledge where your argument is weak. Almost all arguments have weak spots, but those who are trying to sell an ideology will have great difficulty with this point and would rather obscure or downplay any weak points.

5. Be willing to publicly acknowledge when you are wrong. Those selling an ideology likewise have great difficulty admitting to being wrong, as this undercuts the rhetoric and image that is being sold. You get small points for admitting to being wrong on trivial matters and big points for admitting to being wrong on substantive points. You lose big points for failing to admit being wrong on something trivial.

6. Demonstrate consistency. A clear sign of intellectual dishonesty is when someone extensively relies on double standards. Typically, an excessively high standard is applied to the perceived opponent(s), while a very low standard is applied to the ideologues’ allies.

7. Address the argument instead of attacking the person making the argument. Ad hominem arguments are a clear sign of intellectual dishonesty. However, often times, the dishonesty is more subtle. For example, someone might make a token effort at debunking an argument and then turn significant attention to the person making the argument, relying on stereotypes, guilt-by-association, and innocent-sounding gotcha questions.

8. When addressing an argument, do not misrepresent it. A common tactic of the intellectually dishonest is to portray their opponent’s argument in straw man terms. In politics, this is called spin. Typically, such tactics eschew quoting the person in context, but instead rely heavily on out-of-context quotes, paraphrasing and impression. When addressing an argument, one should shows signs of having made a serious effort to first understand the argument and then accurately represent it in its strongest form.

9. Show a commitment to critical thinking. 

(click to show/hide)

Critical Thinking

October 19th, 2008 by Mike Gene

1. gather complete information - more than one source
2. understand and define terms (make others define terms, too)
3. question the methods by which results were derived
4. question the conclusion: do the facts support it? is there evidence of bias? remember correlation does not equal causation.
5. uncover assumptions and biases
6. question the source of information
7. don’t expect all the answers
8. examine the big picture
9. look for multiple cause and effect
10. watch for thought stopping sensationalism
11. understand your own biases and values

From Human Biology: Health, Homeostasis, and The Environment, 3rd Edition, by Daniel D. Chiras.

10. Be willing to publicly acknowledge when a point or criticism is good. If someone is unable or unwilling to admit when their opponent raises a good point or makes a good criticism, it demonstrates an unwillingness to participate in the give-and-take that characterizes an honest exchange.

While no one is perfect, and even those who strive for intellectual honesty can have a bad day, simply be on the look out for how many and how often these criteria apply to someone. In the arena of public discourse, it is not intelligence or knowledge that matters most – it is whether you can trust the intelligence or knowledge of another. After all, intelligence and knowledge can sometimes be the best tools of an intellectually dishonest approach.