Could We Have a Science Based Off-Topic Forum?

[Deleted]

So, looking back through several topics in this General Off-Topic forum, mixed in with other Off-Topic threads, are several threads relating to science. They are often buried however by threads regarding Justin Beiber, the youtube community or other random stuff. That is a great for an Off-Topic forum, but it makes it very difficult to actually find discussions that i would be interested in reading.

There seems to be a good amount of people who like discussions involving science; whether it's about Black Holes, The Bing Bang, The possibility of life on other worlds, or even the effects of global warming on the Earth. It is as such that I believe a scientific forum would be of good use and I think it goes well along side the Computer, Video Games, Sports and Media forums we have currently.

Thanks for reading.

[Marmot]

Agreed, it's something which needs to have a bit more love on this forum and is something I'd read regularly.

[Fenixdown]

Then why not also have a religion-based off topic forum?

Now you know why that idea isn't going to fly.

[Badpaladin]

Not enough people.

[Fuzzzie]

Not enough people.

this, and considering the number of science threads we actually have that don't get derailed in some way.. Probably best to stick with General Off-Topic.

[Jojobinks]

If a topic is popular, it will stay on the front page anyway. The General offtopic forums don't move fast enough that popular topics are pushed off of the front page.

---------- Post added 2011-08-20 at 05:08 PM ----------

After 10-20 threads of derailment, the trolls would get extremely bored after venting themselves and wont bother to reply.

Ive seen it happen loads of times in other forums.

The more you block peoples opinions, the more they will troll. Once you allow them to vent, they get bored and the trolling disapears.

You act like "trolls" (although I'm sure your definition of trolls is very different from mine, a lot of people think trolls are people who don't have the same opinion that they do) are a hivemind, but they are not.

[Sunshine]

Science news is one of the things general off-topic is designed for. There haven't been many threads started on scientific news, other than a few stories of progress toward disease cures and so on, but that means that people just need to create them!

If someone takes the initiative to make threads and bring thoughtful discussion to the table, people will be interested. If everyone is sitting around waiting for other people to create interesting threads, we'll all be waiting for a long time.

[Fuzzzie]

The more you block peoples opinions, the more they will troll. Once you allow them to vent, they get bored and the trolling disapears.

Bad posters are few and far between. There is also a distinction between posting an opinion and inciting flames or derailing.

When people do act up and lose their posting privillages it's likely their own fault. The rules are everywhere after all. I have little sympathy.

[Fuzzzie]

The mods are sometimes wrong though and ban the wrong people. The flaw is not with the rules, but the sometimes bad mod decisions that enforce them.

Just let people talk about what they want, what harm can it do?

We have an appeals process for when we are wrong. Any user who feels they are wrongly banned are welcome to use it. If it turns out we made a mistake, we reverse it.

Allowing open-ended discussion would likely cause more harm than good. I don't think the rules here are totally unreasonable. I would rather have rules in place that encourage constructive and mature posting than allow the forums to devolve into total garbage.

This is also off-topic. PM me if you would like to continue the discussion.

[Fuzzzie]

Well overall this is a very nice site to have decent discussions so it cant be all that bad

I would love to see current affairs, political, religious and science topics being allowed to be discussed though.

I regularly go to other political forums and although they serve the purpose, it's nice to chat to gamers about such things rather than have to waffle through rather large words every other sentence from the true political buffheads.

All those topics are currently okay in General Off-Topic with the exception of religion. It's been our experience that discussions of religion devolve into flame wars. Feel free to create topics about current affairs, political and science topics though.

[Sunshine]

Some political topics are off-limits; it depends on the type. Something like "republicans are baby-eaters and they should all die" is bad.

If you have issues with mods, PM an admin (me or Boubouille). If you have issues with a ban, use the ban appeal forum.

[Endus]

Then why not also have a religion-based off topic forum?

Now you know why that idea isn't going to fly.

The two aren't comparable. Religion is based on faith and belief. Science is based on repeatedly testing things and proving that they actually do in fact work that way. Science debates only really occur in those areas where we haven't been able to prove something one way or the other yet, and they don't have even close to the invective that religious debates do, because most major religions have a "we are right and everyone else is wrong and therefore they are deluded if not outright evil" clause in them.

Unless you're way out into theoretical physics or experimental medical treatments, science isn't really up for debate. And even there, most of the debate amounts to "let's try this and see if it works" and there's a fairly clear yes or no result.

[Pud'n]

I too would support that type of sub-topic forum. But aren't most scientific threads slanted in that almost everyone universally agrees on one side of an argument (If any exist).

[apepi]

Some political topics are off-limits; it depends on the type. Something like "republicans are baby-eaters and they should all die" is bad.

If you have issues with mods, PM an admin (me or Boubouille). If you have issues with a ban, use the ban appeal forum.

Don't tease me, now I want to use that thread name topic....

I remember asking the same thing...and I think i got the same answer.

[Bramickias]

Then why not also have a religion-based off topic forum?

Now you know why that idea isn't going to fly.

I have to agree, we need a fan-fiction off topic forum somewhere ...


Infracted. There's absolutely no need for this kind of comment.

[Endus]

I too would support that type of sub-topic forum. But aren't most scientific threads slanted in that almost everyone universally agrees on one side of an argument (If any exist).

That's because science isn't up for debate.

The implications of the science, sure. But not the actual results.

[Dunee]

for OP, if you really want a science forum perhaps try out (yeah I know it's scary) 4chans board called science and math.. they do have some great discussions from time to time.