wheeler
04-23-2006, 07:51 PM
I propose the following changes:
Science, Math and Philosophy (SMP) -> Philosophy and Religion.
Probability -> Probability, Math and Science.
Here's why:
1. The SMP forum is dominated by discussion of religion and philosophy. I just looked at the top 12 threads and there is one about science and one about math.
2. A number of working scientists (I'm one) are on record as no longer reading the SMP forum because they don't want to wade through the religious debate. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem debating religion vs. science, it's just that the current forum setup serves to frame every topic in those terms.
3. The probability forum gets no traffic. Adding science and math in there can only increase the viability of this forum. I don't see how it could harm the probability forum in any way if more math/science professionals were to contribute.
4. Maybe there are posters who want to talk about religion. It's not clear to me they'd know that the SMP forum was the appropriate venue. If you put religion in the title it may result in involving more pro-religion people in the debate, who feel uncomfortable or on the defensive talking about religion in a forum with science in the title.
5. New forums increase traffic, as evidenced by the Puzzles and Games forum, where a large part of the traffic is made up by people who didn't post much before. This proposal will also increase traffic, but without increasing the number of forums.
6. I looked through other threads about this subject in this forum, and the standard rebuttal is "I don't think math and science can survive on its own." I agree that if you were to just move the science/math posts from the Science Math and Philosophy forum, you wouldn't have a viable forum, but I'm arguing that the SMP forum is hostile to math/science threads in its current forum, and you'll get an increase in the number of threads if you change the setup.
Thoughts?
Science, Math and Philosophy (SMP) -> Philosophy and Religion.
Probability -> Probability, Math and Science.
Here's why:
1. The SMP forum is dominated by discussion of religion and philosophy. I just looked at the top 12 threads and there is one about science and one about math.
2. A number of working scientists (I'm one) are on record as no longer reading the SMP forum because they don't want to wade through the religious debate. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem debating religion vs. science, it's just that the current forum setup serves to frame every topic in those terms.
3. The probability forum gets no traffic. Adding science and math in there can only increase the viability of this forum. I don't see how it could harm the probability forum in any way if more math/science professionals were to contribute.
4. Maybe there are posters who want to talk about religion. It's not clear to me they'd know that the SMP forum was the appropriate venue. If you put religion in the title it may result in involving more pro-religion people in the debate, who feel uncomfortable or on the defensive talking about religion in a forum with science in the title.
5. New forums increase traffic, as evidenced by the Puzzles and Games forum, where a large part of the traffic is made up by people who didn't post much before. This proposal will also increase traffic, but without increasing the number of forums.
6. I looked through other threads about this subject in this forum, and the standard rebuttal is "I don't think math and science can survive on its own." I agree that if you were to just move the science/math posts from the Science Math and Philosophy forum, you wouldn't have a viable forum, but I'm arguing that the SMP forum is hostile to math/science threads in its current forum, and you'll get an increase in the number of threads if you change the setup.
Thoughts?