Re: META: Dead horses

Harvey Newstrom (newstrom@newstaffinc.com)
Tue, 30 Nov 1999 16:12:43 -0500

Lee Daniel Crocker <lcrocker@mercury.colossus.net (none)> wrote on Tuesday, November 30, 1999 2:54 pm,

> > Unfortunately, this is a common pattern for Extropians. We cannot
debate
> > any area of serious disagreement... How useful can this list be if
debate
> > fails upon any real difference of opinion?
>
> Since when is debate a "failure" just because none of the combatants
> switch sides? That's not the goal: the debate is a value in itself.
> Lots of lurkers get to hear the opposing points of view, the views
> themselves are clarified and developed, lines are drawn, terms
> defined, brains are exercised. That sounds pretty productive to me.

I was not referring to the situation where nobody switched sides. My objection is when a topic becomes so heated or repetitive that it is banned or shunned. That is when further debate becomes impossible.

--
Harvey Newstrom <mailto://newstrom@newstaffinc.com>
<http://harveynewstrom.com>
Author, Consultant, Engineer, Legal Hacker, Researcher, Scientist.