Why is the Philosophy Forum Closing?

[Ryan_m_b]

Having this sub forum is likely a good thing, because while yes it might attract crackpot discussions, at least these discussions are limited to one place...having strict rules and having these sort of dust bin sections are a good thing for the rest of the forum.

Drakkith's already responded with most of what I was going to say so I'll just respond to these two points. It is not my experience that crackpots can be confined and even so we don't want them to be confined, we don't want them at all. We've had forums with less strict rules before where people could develop their own personal theories and what not and the crackpots they attract spread. The fact that we have such forums legitimises and attracts new members and posts that we really don't want. Another reason these dustbins as you call them aren't good is that they can give out such a negative image that guests to the site don't join or participate.

If something on the site is not working I don't see a reason to keep it. As for blowing off steam people can either chill out a bit by posting in GD or do something else other than this forum.

 

[wuliheron]

I applaud the efforts of the moderators here to make this philosophy forum work and completely understand if they feel it isn't worth the effort to keep open. Just as the sciences have had to struggle to distinguish and distance themselves from superstition and whatnot philosophy is currently struggling to establish a science of linguistics and the resulting confusion and chaos is understandable. I just want the moderators to know in my opinion they have done a super job of trying considering the difficulty of the task.