Rules for civilized debate

Admin Posts : 94 Join date : 2017-09-28

Posting anything in this forum constitutes agreement to these rules, which are designed to keep debate civilized and productive.

Keep an open mind. (Indicators that your mind is not open include phrases such as, "I don't think we'll ever agree on this," and "I'm never going to change my mind.")
Attempt to comprehend one anothers' points of view even when we disagree.
Respect the limitations of text as a medium by saying what you mean. (Text does not convey tone of voice, facial expression, or body language, which makes miscommunication more likely. Avoid sarcasm, and assume other people also mean what they say, no less and no more.)
Post only when you have something new to add to the discussion. (This may include clarifying a point you have previously made by presenting an example, but not simply repeating yourself.)
Avoid logical fallacies. If others use them, point out which fallacy they have fallen prey to, and give them the opportunity to rephrase or reframe their argument.

Logical fallacies:

Ad Hominem: Attacking the person rather than the argument
Ambiguity: Twisting or misinterpreting language to deliberately mislead.
Anecdotal: Overgeneralising the value of a single experience.
Appeal to Emotion: Relying on emotion rather than fact.
Appeal to Irrelevant Authority: Assuming that if an authority figure says something, it must be true.
Appeal to Nature: Assuming that because something is 'natural' it is good. In gaming this often appears as the assumption that precise reflection of what happens in the real world physics is the goal.
Bandwagon: Using the popularity of something as proof.
Begging the Question: Using circular logic, where the rightness of your position is inherent in your definitions.
Black or White: Presenting two options as the only possibilities when others exist.
Burden of Proof: Assuming that you are right until proven wrong.
Composition/Division: Over-generalising something that is true of a part to the whole, or vice-versa.
The Fallacy Fallacy: Assuming that because an assertion has been poorly argued, or a fallacy has been made, that the point itself is wrong.
False Cause: Mistaking correlation for causation.
The Gambler's Fallacy: Making assumptions about statistically independent phenomena.
Genetic: Judging the merit of something by its source.
Loaded Question: Asking a question in a way that implies something unkind, inaccurate, or unrelated.
Middle Ground: Claiming that a middle point between two extremes must be correct.
No True Scotsman: Dismissing relevant criticism by redefining the parameters of the topic.
Personal Incredulity: Assuming that something cannot be correct simply because you do not understand it.
Slippery Slope: If we do X, what's next? Y?!
Special Pleading: Changing the criteria for proof when your argument is proven wrong.
Strawman: misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack.
The Texas Sharpshooter: Cherry-picking your data to suit your argument.
Tu Quoque: Responding to criticism with criticism to avoid addressing the point.

Responses that violate these rules may be deleted, either partially (to remove the offending section) or wholly (if the post does not make sense without that section).

» Policy: Rules calls during play