[extropy-chat] crap crap crap and noise

[J. Andrew Rogers]

On Nov 16, 2004, at 9:23 PM, Al Brooks wrote:
> As I wrote in the last message: if you & others want
> me to go, please say so and I'll tally up the number
> who want me to leave; again, I remain here primarily
> because Giulio asked me to stay on this list.


While this list may not have much in the way of official rules, it did 
at one time have community standards.  All that is being asked is that 
everyone who posts make some attempt to abide by those standards.

Let me sum them up for you:

1.) Make your posts substantive.  If you can make your point in one 
line, it probably didn't need to be made.  Captains of the obvious are 
not really necessary either.  Be prepared to explain your reasoning in 
depth, preferably putting your in-depth reasoning in the post even.

2.) Make your posts rational.  Writing posts that assume the 
supernatural, inconsistent mathematics, violations of thermodynamics, 
or any other axioms that have obvious conflicts with reality better be 
prefaced by some astoundingly good justification for those assumptions. 
  Know all the basic Fallacies of Reasoning, and learn to instinctively 
identify them in your thinking.  Discussing "what ifs" is fun, but it 
is not terribly constructive if the "what ifs" are outside the scope of 
plausible reality.  We have a signal-to-noise ratio to maintain here.

3.) Do not become emotionally attached to your argument; there is no 
insult in being wrong.  If you have to use your personal feelings to 
make a point, you've pretty much lost the argument.  Enough said.


The negative reaction you may be seeing results from the perception 
that you are making no attempt to abide by the standards of the 
community.  This community is tolerant and forgiving, but it may 
require some genuine effort on your part to be a functional part of the 
community.


j. andrew rogers