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Paranormal Debate - Topic Suggestions Please

  • 15-06-2006 01:53PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,552 ✭✭✭✭


    Right, I thought about this ages ago but felt that at the time the forum was in a state that would probably lead me to ban half the people partaking in a debate.

    Things are better these days so I think that this could possibly work.

    Its not a done deal, I'll talk to T4TF and see what he thinks and I'll see what the feedback is like. Here is the jist of what I'm on about.

    Firstly we'd set up a thread for topic suggestions. Anyone can post on that.
    Mods will pick a topic for each debate and set up a thread with that topic.

    Each week, we will have a team of three or four posters on pro and con side.
    We may instate team captains, either permanently or on a rotational basis and then pick the rest of the team from interested users.

    Once the debate starts, each team member gets to post 1 post in the alloted time. The thread is then open for discussion and teams may make 1 post counter arguments and normal users can direct questions at posts. After a set time (1 week maybe) the thread is closed and we'll get guest mods in to judge (along with T4TF and I). We'll pick a winning team and a best post and sticky a scoreboard.

    If it works well, I'll request a sub-forum.

    Its going to be work by the mods and its gonna require an interest from the users and it will be a very heavily and strictly moderated thread with its own set of rules.

    But that aside it should be a nice way to allow open and intense discussion of paranormal issues while leaving the rest of the forum as is.

    This is not a cert, only an idea.

    Opinions? Suggestions?

    Would you Partake in a Paranormal Debate? 12 votes

    Yes, I'd probably debate for the team that interested me most.
    0% 0 votes
    Yes, I'd want to be on the "skeptic" team
    33% 4 votes
    Yes, I'd want to be on the "believers" team
    0% 0 votes
    I'd probaby post in the debate but I wouldn't want to be on a team
    25% 3 votes
    I'd read it but I wouldn't post
    33% 4 votes
    I'm not interested at all really
    8% 1 vote


«134

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,247 ✭✭✭✭6th


    I think its a great idea, I for one dont just blindly believe all topics just coz i have experience with some. Its a good way too to give some of the more sceptical posters a chance to get their ideas across without being set upon. Posting within a certain amount of time may not work though as i know i for one get dragged away from the computer regularily. Posting in turns though sounds perfect.

    Count me in, a sub-forum would be the best way to do it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 997 ✭✭✭Sapien


    Sounds interesting. I wouldn't mind being involved, though I share 6th's concerns about restrictions on time. But then again, what are the wee hours in the morning for...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,552 ✭✭✭✭GuanYin


    By time restrictions I mean once we agree on a start time for the debate, the teams have a day to post their post.
    Then perhaps they each have another 24 hours to post rebuttals.

    Then it becomes a chance for posters to address specific points in the posts over 2-4 days at which point we lock the topic and pick winners.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,216 ✭✭✭✭monkeyfudge


    There is a series of little used debate forums

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=364

    I can't say I've ever seen them in action though.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭stevenmu


    Great idea, there's always going to be some *ahem* disagreements on the forum, why not organise them and shove them all in one thread/sub-forum. Some of them could be very educational too.

    I'd share the concerns of the others about time limits. While some kind of time limit is obviously nessecary, some points may require a few hours of research to make properly, and between work and other commitments it may take people a while before they can sit down and put the time in.

    edit: ah, I see the time issue was already dealt with


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,552 ✭✭✭✭GuanYin


    There is a series of little used debate forums

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=364

    I can't say I've ever seen them in action though.

    Yeah I saw them run - there were one or two debates (I was asked to be on a team for one, but was overrun in work). The concept is a good one and hopefully DeVore will get it running again.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,552 ✭✭✭✭GuanYin


    My god, I expected more feedback on this.

    Zillah? T4TF?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,247 ✭✭✭✭6th


    psi wrote:
    My god, I expected more feedback on this.

    Zillah? T4TF?


    Don't worry its just a bit quiet at the moment ... i even had to pull out the Yeti thread to get some interest!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,369 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    *giggles in hysterical glee*


    Suffice to say, I like this idea ;)


  • Subscribers Posts: 19,421 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    What 6th, missing my sparkling repartee?;)

    Never debated a thing in my life and I havent written an essay in 20 years... but this sounds interesting. But I may just stand aside and watch the first attempt to see how high brow this goes.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,097 ✭✭✭Darragh29


    psi wrote:
    Right, I thought about this ages ago but felt that at the time the forum was in a state that would probably lead me to ban half the people partaking in a debate.

    Things are better these days so I think that this could possibly work.

    Its not a done deal, I'll talk to T4TF and see what he thinks and I'll see what the feedback is like. Here is the jist of what I'm on about.

    Firstly we'd set up a thread for topic suggestions. Anyone can post on that.
    Mods will pick a topic for each debate and set up a thread with that topic.

    Each week, we will have a team of three or four posters on pro and con side.
    We may instate team captains, either permanently or on a rotational basis and then pick the rest of the team from interested users.

    Once the debate starts, each team member gets to post 1 post in the alloted time. The thread is then open for discussion and teams may make 1 post counter arguments and normal users can direct questions at posts. After a set time (1 week maybe) the thread is closed and we'll get guest mods in to judge (along with T4TF and I). We'll pick a winning team and a best post and sticky a scoreboard.

    If it works well, I'll request a sub-forum.

    Its going to be work by the mods and its gonna require an interest from the users and it will be a very heavily and strictly moderated thread with its own set of rules.

    But that aside it should be a nice way to allow open and intense discussion of paranormal issues while leaving the rest of the forum as is.

    This is not a cert, only an idea.

    Opinions? Suggestions?


    Why not get a team together of even numbers, say 3 skeptics and 3 believers and give them an assignment, stay overnight in a haunted house and let them post their experiences up here???


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,247 ✭✭✭✭6th


    Darragh29 wrote:
    Why not get a team together of even numbers, say 3 skeptics and 3 believers and give them an assignment, stay overnight in a haunted house and let them post their experiences up here???


    Well we kind of have trips already and its a pain to organise. Besides we'd have debates on more than just "ghosts" i'm sure. Mixing sceptics and beleivers is a better idea as it will force people to think in a different way. Otherwise its just like banging your head off a wall.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,247 ✭✭✭✭6th


    KatieK wrote:
    What 6th, missing my sparkling repartee?;)

    Never debated a thing in my life and I havent written an essay in 20 years... but this sounds interesting. But I may just stand aside and watch the first attempt to see how high brow this goes.


    Ah KittyKat of course you're missed (hiding when you are online too is no fun!) good thing i can feel your presence!! ;)


  • Subscribers Posts: 19,421 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    6th wrote:
    Ah KittyKat of course you're missed (hiding when you are online too is no fun!) good thing i can feel your presence!! ;)
    Oi, sir, keep your hands to yourself!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,369 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    6th wrote:
    Well we kind of have trips already and its a pain to organise. Besides we'd have debates on more than just "ghosts" i'm sure. Mixing sceptics and beleivers is a better idea as it will force people to think in a different way. Otherwise its just like banging your head off a wall.

    Second all of that.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭stevenmu


    6th wrote:
    Mixing sceptics and beleivers is a better idea as it will force people to think in a different way. Otherwise its just like banging your head off a wall.
    That'd just lead to to so much in-fighting in the teams they'd never get around to debating against each other. Besides what would there be to debate that isn't from a sceptics vs believers view ?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,247 ✭✭✭✭6th


    The idea is to win the debate, not prove that something does or doesnt exist. We should all be familiar with the arguements for and against most of the topics on here. Only knowing one side is close minded and this idea will give us all a chance to growa bit.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,369 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    stevenmu wrote:
    That'd just lead to to so much in-fighting in the teams they'd never get around to debating against each other. Besides what would there be to debate that isn't from a sceptics vs believers view ?

    You've got it kind of backwards. We say Team A is going to argue X, and Team B is going to argue Y. If you don't feel like you can sincerely argue X, then don't join team A.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,247 ✭✭✭✭6th


    its that or arm wrestling!


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭stevenmu


    Zillah wrote:
    You've got it kind of backwards. We say Team A is going to argue X, and Team B is going to argue Y. If you don't feel like you can sincerely argue X, then don't join team A.
    Naturally people would decide on a topic by topic basis whether they are for or against a particular view.
    6th wrote:
    The idea is to win the debate, not prove that something does or doesnt exist. We should all be familiar with the arguements for and against most of the topics on here. Only knowing one side is close minded and this idea will give us all a chance to growa bit.
    As I understand, it the idea is, apart from the pure fun of it, to fully and completely explore both sides of a topic, to explain and validate each viewpoint as throughly as possible. This will surely be achieved much better by teams which are unified within themselves by a common belief in the viewpoint which they are trying to present. Each side can learn just as much from their opponents points, and researching those points to counter them, as they can from trying to make similar points themselves. In fact, the better each sides points are made, the more everybody can learn from them.

    Meh, as long as I get to disagree with people I'm happy. ;)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,388 ✭✭✭Kernel


    Sounds like a promising idea. Depending on the topic, I would take part. The only issue I have, personally, is that on several paranormal issues I kind of sit on the fence - that is, I don't strongly believe or disbelieve.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 997 ✭✭✭Sapien


    Should people begin to suggest topics? We could gauge in this thread how much of a reaction they will get, and who would be interested in participating.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,718 ✭✭✭SkepticOne


    Sapien wrote:
    Should people begin to suggest topics? We could gauge in this thread how much of a reaction they will get, and who would be interested in participating.
    good idea imho


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,718 ✭✭✭SkepticOne


    Here's one I think may be of general interest:

    "Are paranormal explanations really explanations?"


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,552 ✭✭✭✭GuanYin


    Please keep the topic suggestions for a later date. I'll open that thread when I see how much interest there is.

    Basically I want to know that it won't be the same 4-5 people at each others throats and there will actually be rational and interesting and above all else, open minded debate.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,399 ✭✭✭✭Thanx 4 The Fish


    Just bacause you do not believe in a particular phenomenon does not mean that you should not be able to argue for/against it. I know that we are not all debaters here but generally you are given a topic and you do not get to choose which side you are on. I think that if this is taken up then the extra work would be worth it as it would increase the usage and visibility of the paranormal forum and maybe make people think a little differently, if only for a few minutes.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 25,848 ✭✭✭✭Zombrex


    Er, I am of course all for it (as skeptic of course), but doesn't this whole idea kinda go against the whole spirit of the charter (which, despite what some may believe, I actually think is a good charter)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,247 ✭✭✭✭6th


    i agree i dont think people should have a choice as to which corner they fight from. I for one would like to see how i put forward a case for, lets say, ghosts not existing?!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,718 ✭✭✭SkepticOne


    Wicknight wrote:
    Er, I am of course all for it (as skeptic of course), but doesn't this idea kinda go against the whole spirit of the charter (which, despite what some may believe, I actually think is a good charter)
    Although perhaps prematurely, the reason I proposed it was to get to the core of paranormal belief (or lack thereof). Is it just a series of unexplained but otherwise unrelated phenomena (or alledged phenomena) or is there some common factor. Why do sceptics favour one form of explanation over another? The topic would invol ve self examination on both sides of the question.

    I believe that the differences between, for want of a better word, sceptics and believers are fairly deep and only by discussing these in a general way can we understand them.

    The alternative, say, along the lines of "do ghosts exist?"...well you can more or less predict how the debate would precede. I think most people (believers and sceptics alike) sense that there is a difference in philosophical outlook, but what is it exactly?


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭stevenmu


    T4TF wrote:
    Just bacause you do not believe in a particular phenomenon does not mean that you should not be able to argue for/against it. I know that we are not all debaters here but generally you are given a topic and you do not get to choose which side you are on. I think that if this is taken up then the extra work would be worth it as it would increase the usage and visibility of the paranormal forum and maybe make people think a little differently, if only for a few minutes.
    I still think it's better to let people choose a side. Like you say it's a great chance to increase the usage and visibility of the forum, it'll almost be like a summary of the best bits of the paranormal forum, or the forum highlights. It'll also possibly make for good reference material when the topics inevitably get revisited. The best way to make it the best possible summary/reference is to have people presenting points that they believe in and are familiar with. 'Believers' in a topic are more likely to be familiar with the ins and outs of the various idea and theories behind them, aswell as more likely to be familiar with various resources (mainly websites I suppose) needed to form a basis for their points. The same is true for sceptics of a particular topic.

    I suppose it comes down to whether the point is to have the best 'debate' possible, where the topic is largely irrelevant and pure debating skill is what is important, or the best 'paranormal debate' possible, where the topic is at least as important as the debating prowess displayed.

    If the former is the case then may I suggest the topic "Should the national speed limit be lowered from 60mph to 55mph" ?

    Sure it'll save a few lives but millions will be late


    :)


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