Freedomain Radio

Although I've long since given up over there, it's rather surprising that others have attempted to continue the conversation.

http://skepchick.org/skepticsguide/index.php/topic,12731.0.html

It's going on 75 pages and over 5000 reads, though I've stopped paying attention to it after page 63, as it appeared to be going in circles.

For a group so opposed to the idea of anarchy, I wonder why they're willing to spend so much time arguing against it?  Many of the posters on that thread have scoffed at anarchy as impossible from the beginning, yet continue to engage, even though they are still making the same arguments.  Quite interesting, as a study of human behavior, at the least.

I still hold hope that some people will see the value in what anarchy brings to one's life, though I suppose they won't see the personal aspects of anarchy in that thread anytime soon.  Oh well!

I kind of feel obligated to go in there.  I hate to see posts get all mucked up in inwardly spiraling quotations and petty references that clearly miss the forest for the trees.  

".....you said that Japanese health care system is ranked 3rd for waiting periods, yet their doctors are widely considered...."

Yuck.

I find discussions can be quite cleanly and efficiently debated without getting stuck in posting-quote hell if one can just stick to principals and not get petty.  

But maybe I've just been lucky on other boards.

Could I trouble you to point out where in the thread those explaining the existence of UPB were engaged in a diatribe? Thanks,

Okay, so "diatribe" wasn't the best adjective to use, so let's just say that there were two opposing sets of ideas and that there were enough foundational points which were never agreed upon, leading to a conversation where those in opposition were basically talking past each other.

jimmy:

Nasikabatrachus:

I'm pleasantly surprised by the scale of the response to nexalacer's thread. It seems to be one of the larger topics in its forum.

Not so sure about the quality, 'cos I hate reading uber long threads. For now I'm satisfied that the topic and FDR are a blip on the radar over there.

The thread seems to have been somewhat productive.

 

At least one person has ventured over to explore and plant a flag (welcome BobC), so I would say definitely productive.

Jad:

jimmy:

Nasikabatrachus:

I'm pleasantly surprised by the scale of the response to nexalacer's thread. It seems to be one of the larger topics in its forum.

Not so sure about the quality, 'cos I hate reading uber long threads. For now I'm satisfied that the topic and FDR are a blip on the radar over there.

The thread seems to have been somewhat productive.

 

 

At least one person has ventured over to explore and plant a flag (welcome BobC), so I would say definitely productive.

 

BobC has zero posts. Who are you talking about?

BobC has contributed in the chat room, and his name on the SGU forum was Bob?.  I welcome him as someone who has some skepticism in the approach we take here to a stateless society, but I do think he'll find value in the conversation overall.

Are the SGU podcasts worth checking out?
I heard a couple of their first episodes and it seemed like they blabber too much about academic research and science.

I did find the list of fallacies on their website quite useful.

Spratzaman:

Are the SGU podcasts worth checking out?
I heard a couple of their first episodes and it seemed like they blabber too much about academic research and science.

I did find the list of fallacies on their website quite useful.

First, I started listening to them from the most recent backwards, and I found them to be great podcasts, with a few places where they talked too much about how much stolen money should be spent on science research, but overall, really interesting.

I then started from the beginning, and found the same thing you did... too many long boring conversations about how much stolen money should be spent on science research... but that changes once they get guests, and the guests are pretty good.  I really liked the guy they talked to about free-will and determinism because it helped me think about my understanding about the topic.

Overall, I'd recommend you stick with them, or if you just can't stand the first ones, start listening to them from the most recent and move backwards.

Thanks Nex, I'll check them out

Also, have you yet introduced the guys on the SGU forums with the "compared to what" question?
Would that be a bad question for skeptics to ask?

No, I haven't, nor do I have any desire to return to that pit, but that'd be a good idea, if you wanna take the torch!

nexalacer:

No, I haven't, nor do I have any desire to return to that pit, but that'd be a good idea, if you wanna take the torch!

Wise man. I looked over there recently in search of information about laetrile and the miraculous apricot-pit cancer cure, and noticed endless threads about which politician is the bestest, which politician is the worstest, which government is the most moral, etc. Sickening coming from people claiming the efficacy of logic and reason & the scientific method.