Intro:
Here is a game I thought of. I am usually not too good at inventing games, so forgive me if this turns out to be a bad idea. This was actually an idea I started on a different forum, but I thought it would be nice to try it out here.
Motive:
In philosophical debate, people can create very long posts. If people respond, they often write an equally lengthy post, quoting the original and breaking the comment text to insert comments. Threads can become very long, and often arguments are repeated or re-started by those who didn't read the entire thread.
This is all very well and good, but it does take a very long time for me to read a single thread, and I usually do it in two or three sittings, or just avoid the thread. So, I thought it might be good to put some constraints on our discussion forum habits for the sake of some creative writing.
Object of the game:
I will pick a topic (actually two or three in hopes of getting more participants), and anyone can post arguments over one or both of those topics. There is no scoring, there is no end to the game unless a moderator thinks the thread should be closed. Be creative, and think carefully about your responses.
Rules:
I'm not a moderator, so I can't enforce any of these. For the game to work, we must rely on the honor system, which I don't think will be a problem here.
- Each post must have NO MORE THAN 2 SENTENCES. This is the most important rule. Of course, it is possible to fit a lot of information in a single sentence, using semicolons, multi-sentence quotes of notable persons, parenthesis, and lots and lots of commas. But I hope anyone playing will simply not do that, please. Lets make this an exercise in good writing style.
- Each post may contain only two quotes, one sentence per quote. Since each post is limited to two sentences, limiting the content of quoted posts will force participants to maintain no more than two parallel threads of dialog. You can have two quoted sentences from the same person, or one from one person, and another from another person. Lets also limit famous quotes, Bible verses, etc. to one per post.
- Reply only once to any single post. That is to say, don't post ten times in a row just to clarify yourself, that defeats the purpose of keeping replies brief. If you make a post, it should quote someone or address an argument someone else has made.
- Only one new argument per day. To prevent yourself from rambling, limit the rate at which you express ideas. If a post that you have written does not address any other post in the thread, it is a new argument. Don't make too many new arguments in too little time.
- Quotes must reference only other posts within this thread. I think it would be OK to allow links to articles or other web pages, but I am hoping this thread keeps dialog limited to the arguments posted in this thread.
- Straying from the original topic is acceptable. This need not be confined to a single line of thought. Bring up new things to argue about if you think it would be a good idea. But please, try to make the arguments you post somewhat connected to the present discussion. It might be a bit annoying to post a declaration of your love of Star Wars in the middle of a debate over the works of Friedrich Nietzsche.
- Be polite.
- Be creative.
Final notes:
Constraining your writing will force you to be clever in making a point. If you think someone is not getting it, try asking a question to get them to elaborate. Your elaborations must be well-crafted in order to address a critic in as few words as possible.
Reading this thread will hopefully be easy for anyone who wants to join in because each post is very short. I do hope this thread turns into a real dialog. In the worst case scenario, it will turn into a chat room with people talking like 12-year-olds. Best case scenario: we end up with a contemporary version of Plato's "Republic"... (OK, probably not
that good.)
I wouldn't be surprised or disappointed if this goes nowhere. There might be too many rules, and maybe the game is just too difficult. But I've never tried something like this before (at the other forum, I only just started the idea and have had no responses yet). Anyway I think it could be fun.
Finally, I am aware that this may be better posted in the "Water Cooler" section, but I really would like to see some philosophical debate, so I am putting it in the "Philosophy" section. My apologies to the forum admins if this is a problem for you.
So, any takers?
Please see the example posts below, followed by the posts which begin the game.