Quote:
Originally Posted by captain swoop
How can someone stating the Mainstream be considered in the same way as rehashing an ATM claim?
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Not rehashing an ATM claim - rehashing a faulty argument. Sometimes people supposedly defending the mainstream don't understand the mainstream. See
this post and
this post for a ridiculous example of a mainstream defender bringing up the same faulty argument repeatedly over the course of several months despite numerous explanations as to what was wrong with his argument and apparently several admissions on his own part that he was wrong - only to return to his same faulty argument again and again.
I think what this forum actually needs is a "Debate forum" in which any astronomy topic can be debated (ATM or otherwise), but it is understood that if you wish to participate in the debates you will be expected to respond to critiques of your statements. Perhaps have a forum closed to general comments from the BAUT community unless they "sign on" to the debate.
So for example, someone decides they want to debate the validity of dark matter. People interested in that debate could sign up as participants - with the understanding that they are expected to defend their arguments from attack from other participants. By keeping it closed to all but those that "sign up" it would prevent people from just parachuting into the discussion without feeling accountable for their statements. It would also encourage people participating to read their opponents comments more carefully and read the literature more carefully. With such a forum ad homs could be handled quite easily - you commit an ad hom our make rude comments and you're ejected from the debate - but not necessarily banned from BAUT.