The Pathway Machine

[Purple Rabbit]

No, to me decent behaviour is surrender to a point which has been demonstrated as false. In most topics, this will never happen because we talk about philosophy more than anything, but for instance, in a conversation about Evolution, we can use accurate science to show that the evidence is conclusive. If the person refuses to accept the evidence, then there is no point in continuing the debate with them, as they have shown a complete unwillingness to consider evidence to the contrary of their position.

There are no absolutes in human understanding. Even science isn't absolute in it's conclusions. Science is about the most probable. I agree it's an awful good probable in most cases, but don't make a religion from science. And by now must know that from my pen as a strong defender of science and a scepticist about just about everything, this isn't in defense of theism or relativism but in defense of the scientific method itself.

The dichotomy you assume between philosophy and science is artificial. Philosophy arguably is a part of science, especially in the hypothesizing phase at the start of scientific endeauvour and in the end phase of interpretation and cross connecting of sceintific results.

Having no reason to debate with someone is not the same as shutting someone out from the possibility to debate.

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Well put.
And also, I like debates but I also like to try and raise awareness (if I can) - why can't both be done PR?
Evf

I didn't stop you at awareness raising, did I? Does awareness raising require shutting people out from the possibility to take part in debate? Of course not. The awareness raising is done in direct confrontation that is plain to see for all passers by. The conscious raising done now is that the site is being suspect of shutting out believers for the content of their argument. And that indeed is fairly common practice on theistic sites. Not a practice I'd expect on a free thinking community.

There are, I think, reasons of shutting out though: when personal attacks become dominant and potentially damaging to other participants (not the case here I believe, there have been strong personal attacks from both sides) and taking on multiple identities on the forum (which IS the case here).