Civility

We have always had a policy of requiring civil discourse here at the Garden of Forking Paths, while at the same time (obviously) encouraging vigorous and lively debate. Recently, we have had to take action to block access to the blog by an individual who has repeatedly put his points in needlessly strong and offensive ways. In our view, rude and gratuitously insulting expression goes against the sprit of tolerance and mutual respect that is absolutely essential for productive and enjoyable discussion on this blog.

We continue to welcome proponents of all views and methodologies, and we insist on basic civility.

Comments

[jon kvanvig]

Thanks, John, this is fully appropriate. I'm pleased to be associated with a blog that won't put up with it.

[Mark Smeltzer]

I'm curious whether this individual's punishment was grounded retributively or consequentially ... that is the difference between it being "appropriate" versus merely "warranted" (respectively).

[Tamler Sommers]

With apologies to Voltaire...

"I may disagree with what you say--about free will and baseball in particular--and I may disagree with the way you say it, but I shall defend, in a brief comment, your right to say it."

Bring back Allen!

[tnadelhoffer]

Tamler,
Our right to freedom of expression is negative and not positive. While no one has the right to tell someone else what they are allowed to say or believe in general (or in this case, how they are allowed to say it), the adminstrators of an academic blog such as this one surely have the moral authority to bar others from expressing their ideas when these ideas are consistently expressed in ways that are anathema to fruitful discourse. Just because people have the negative right to be left to their own ideological devices and to say what they choose, it does not follow that others are obligated to give them a platform for the expression of these ideas. Perhaps people who cannot manage to live up to certain basic norms of civility (e.g., people who consistently attack the integrity and/or character of others) should either reconsider how they choose to express their otherwise welcomed and acceptable ideas or they should consider starting their own blog where such basic norms are neither expected nor required.

[Tamler Sommers]

Thomas,

You may be right, but I still predict that "Bring Back Allen!" will be the most popular rallying cry to sweep the nation since "Free Yayo!"

[tnadelhoffer]

Tamler,
I was confident the next great rallying cry to sweep the nation would be "Banish Experimental Philosophers and the Empirical Horses They Rode in On" or perhaps "Give Me the A Priori, Or Give Me Death." But perhaps you're right. I have been wrong about these things in the past. Either way, thanks for injecting the discussion with your usual wit.