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Author Topic:   Registering your position
Aximili23
Inactive Member


Message 1 of 20 (184711)
02-12-2005 1:22 PM


I realize that this would be a major upgrade, but I was thinking, can EvC be changed so members can register their position in the debate? For example, members could somehow sign up to belong to one or more of a list of categories, such as theistic evolutionist, atheistic evolutionist, young earth creationist, gap creationist, intelligent design proponent, etc. The relevant category/ies to which each member belongs can then be listed on the left side of each post, along with the other info such as location and number of posts. In this way, it is immediately easy to tell what position each person subscribes to, especially when it isn't always clear from the post.

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by coffee_addict, posted 02-12-2005 1:43 PM Aximili23 has replied
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 Message 7 by Parasomnium, posted 02-12-2005 3:06 PM Aximili23 has replied
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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 2 of 20 (184714)
02-12-2005 1:43 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Aximili23
02-12-2005 1:22 PM


I wholeheartedly object!

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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NosyNed
Member
Posts: 8996
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 3 of 20 (184715)
02-12-2005 1:43 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Aximili23
02-12-2005 1:22 PM


Save The Hubble
That's my position.
Long term importance of space exploration == 5
short term importance about a 4

This message is a reply to:
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jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 4 of 20 (184719)
02-12-2005 1:59 PM
Reply to: Message 3 by NosyNed
02-12-2005 1:43 PM


Re: Save The Hubble
Can I be confused please?

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
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NosyNed
Member
Posts: 8996
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 5 of 20 (184720)
02-12-2005 2:07 PM
Reply to: Message 4 by jar
02-12-2005 1:59 PM


Re: Save The Hubble
In the long term we must get into space if we don't want to go extinct. (whether that is important is another question).
However, do we have to do it now? That is less clear.

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NosyNed
Member
Posts: 8996
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 6 of 20 (184721)
02-12-2005 2:11 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by NosyNed
02-12-2005 2:07 PM


wrong thread
Oops

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Parasomnium
Member
Posts: 2224
Joined: 07-15-2003


Message 7 of 20 (184730)
02-12-2005 3:06 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Aximili23
02-12-2005 1:22 PM


Not a good idea.
Aximili23 writes:
[...] members could somehow sign up to belong to one or more of a list of categories, such as theistic evolutionist, atheistic evolutionist, young earth creationist, gap creationist, intelligent design proponent, etc.
I don't "belong" to a position, it's the other way around: my position belongs to me. Besides, my position might change. What you propose suggests too much rigidity for my taste.
Aximili23 writes:
In this way, it is immediately easy to tell what position each person subscribes to, especially when it isn't always clear from the post.
Suppose your categories were indeed listed, and somebody would write something unclear, then some people might say to themselves: "Well, this person belongs to category X, so they must have written something that's in line with X. Although I don't quite understand what they wrote, I won't bother to check by asking what they meant." You wouldn't want that to happen, would you? Because it would mean that discussions would be over before they even got underway.
If a person's position isn't clear from what they write, you should always ask for clarification. You might even learn something interesting.

We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further. - Richard Dawkins

This message is a reply to:
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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 8 of 20 (184747)
02-12-2005 6:23 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by NosyNed
02-12-2005 2:11 PM


Re: wrong thread
I think your confusion has something to do with your new avatar.

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jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 9 of 20 (184751)
02-12-2005 6:31 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Aximili23
02-12-2005 1:22 PM


I think it's a great idea kinda.
Define four or five different categories but instead of the user defining their position, let all the other members do it. So while I might define myself as a Conservative Reactionary Fundamentalist Literalist Christian Creationist, others my well feel that my posts show a different character and place me in some other categories.

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

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RAZD
Member (Idle past 1405 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 10 of 20 (184770)
02-12-2005 8:59 PM


well ...
... you can always put your position in your signature ...

we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand
RebelAAmerican.Zen[Deist
{{{Buddha walks off laughing with joy}}}

Replies to this message:
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PecosGeorge
Member (Idle past 6872 days)
Posts: 863
From: Texas
Joined: 04-09-2004


Message 11 of 20 (184787)
02-12-2005 10:43 PM
Reply to: Message 10 by RAZD
02-12-2005 8:59 PM


Re: well ...
quote:
... you can always put your position in your signature ...
maybe it will work this time
agree
last try
This message has been edited by PecosGeorge, 02-12-2005 22:48 AM
This message has been edited by PecosGeorge, 02-12-2005 22:49 AM

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
Hey, Albert, I agree!

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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 12 of 20 (184788)
02-12-2005 11:10 PM
Reply to: Message 10 by RAZD
02-12-2005 8:59 PM


Re: well ...
RAZD writes:
... you can always put your position in your signature ...
This is a much better way to do it. Make it voluntary instead of trying to be like the republicans... introducing a constitutional amendment every single time they don't like something...

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Nighttrain
Member (Idle past 3993 days)
Posts: 1512
From: brisbane,australia
Joined: 06-08-2004


Message 13 of 20 (184792)
02-13-2005 1:09 AM


My position wanders with the strength of arguments presented here. At present, I am an atavistic contortionist thanks to Jar. Is there a category for me?
Edited to refute my position
This message has been edited by Nighttrain, 02-13-2005 01:10 AM

  
Aximili23
Inactive Member


Message 14 of 20 (184822)
02-13-2005 8:16 AM
Reply to: Message 7 by Parasomnium
02-12-2005 3:06 PM


Re: Not a good idea.
Suppose your categories were indeed listed, and somebody would write something unclear, then some people might say to themselves: "Well, this person belongs to category X, so they must have written something that's in line with X. Although I don't quite understand what they wrote, I won't bother to check by asking what they meant." You wouldn't want that to happen, would you? Because it would mean that discussions would be over before they even got underway.
I'm not so sure it would work like this. If somebody posted something unclear, and I knew that that somebody were, say, a theistic evolutionist, then knowing that might help me to understand just what he was saying. And knowing his position doesn't really stop me from asking for a clarification; I think people ask for clarifications from well-known evolutionists/creationists all the time in this forum.
I don't "belong" to a position, it's the other way around: my position belongs to me.
Well yes, you're right, but this is just semantics. Consider my proposal to be restated as something like "members could somehow identify which position(s) belong to them..."
Besides, my position might change. What you propose suggests too much rigidity for my taste.
This would be an issue, yes, but not an insurmountable one. The change could be designed to be flexible; people could sign up to have many positions, or one labeled "undecided," or not sign up for one at all. It will just have be be a balance between flexibility and usefulness.

This message is a reply to:
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Aximili23
Inactive Member


Message 15 of 20 (184825)
02-13-2005 8:23 AM


One benefit of this change is that it makes it easy to compile statistics. It would become possible to report just what percentage of forum members are, say, theistic evolutionists. It would also be possible to see what type of people post in which of the main forums, or in which threads. Do intelligent design proponents frequently post in the "The Bible: Accuracy and Inaccuracy" forum?

  
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