(2017-09-28, 03:02 PM)Ninshub Wrote: [ -> ]Vortex, I appreciate very much all the efforts you've made here. And those are a list of terrific questions - but they are about science in general. And very little about psi - question 15 seems to be the ony one. As such, I don't think it is fit for a Psience Quest interview - we are defining ourselves first and foremost as a psi forum.
However I personally would have no problem with you making this interview and posting it on the forum, but in another category like Alternative Views on Science or Other Stuff, and not labelled as a Psience Quest interview, but as Vortex's interview with H. B.
Ninshub, I didn't notice your post while I was writing my previous one above...
So, I suppose the answer to whether interview with Henry Bauer should be published as one of PQ interviews is
NO.
Well, so be it. I'll tell Bauer that our communal decision was not to interview him. He'll understand.
It's better to cancel one interview than to provoke another split of our community - which might happen no matter what communal decision will be reached. I do not want disappointed members leave. This interview is not worth the conflict and animosity it would inevitably bring.
So...
The interview with Henry Bauer is cancelled. Case closed. 
(2017-09-28, 03:08 PM)Ninshub Wrote: [ -> ]No they won't, Chris. I'm formally asking not to discuss Bauer's theories here, because it's not content that fits this thread or this subforum.
Such posts were moved to a thread in the CT subforum.
Thank you very much. That addresses my concerns about providing a platform for HIV/AIDS denialism. Perhaps it would also be fair to move my specific criticisms of one of his papers:
http://psiencequest.net/forums/thread-41...ml#pid7477
(2017-09-28, 03:20 PM)Vortex Wrote: [ -> ]Ninshub, I didn't notice your post while I was writing my previous one above...
So, I suppose the answer to whether interview with Henry Bauer should be published as one of PQ interviews is NO.
Well, so be it. I'll tell Bauer that our communal decision was not to interview him. He'll understand.
It's better to cancel one interview than to provoke another split of our community - which might happen no matter what communal decision will be reached. I do not want disappointed members leave. This interview is not worth the conflict and animosity it would inevitably bring.
So... The interview with Henry Bauer is cancelled. Case closed.
I think what Ian is saying is that the interview can't be posted in the main interview forum.
Plus I'm a little concerned that someone with his credentials is not able to be interviewed at all.
Question for the admins-
Have we ever created a statement of purpose? A charter? or some other piece that describes the purpose of the forum?
If not, wouldn't that make sense?
Without that what do we point to in order to explain why some things are a fit and others aren't?
I don't want to start a whole new ruckus,, I just think it would make sense to have something concrete we could all point to when trying to justify embracing some topics and not others.
Otherwise we are all just shadowboxing aren't we?
(2017-09-28, 02:21 AM)Ninshub Wrote: [ -> ]That's completely ridiculous Max, and you're clearly not reading my posts. I'm as socially liberal as they come, FYI. A complete and utter leftist on these matters. If anything, Bauer's ideas have been accused of homophobia, racism, etc*. But it's not on a Social Justice Warrior basis that I'm making my stand on this, it's because there's nothing paranormal about it. Period.
(*see here for example)
Just some small addition, for the sake of fairness - Henry Bauer is
not homophobic.
This attacks are based on the views that he gave up long ago:
http://henryhbauer.homestead.com/Iwaswrong.html
(And it should be noted that some of HIV skeptics are themselves homosexuals. Are
they homophobic, then?)
No matter what one thinks about the issue in general, this specific attack is baseless.
(2017-09-28, 02:56 PM)Vortex Wrote: [ -> ]To prevent further speculation, here I post a provisional plan of the interview, so everyone can understand what kind of questions I will ask to Henry Bauer:
So, these are the kind of questions I will ask him if my interview is approved.
Now see, I have no issue with those questions and actually think an interview focused on those things, as long as it contains a bunch of evidence that isn't just HIV/AIDS related, would be of value. Would you consider still doing the interview and just posting it in the "Other" forum?
(2017-09-28, 05:04 PM)Vortex Wrote: [ -> ]Just some small addition, for the sake of fairness - Henry Bauer is not homophobic.
This attacks are based on the views that he gave up long ago:
http://henryhbauer.homestead.com/Iwaswrong.html
(And it should be noted that some of HIV skeptics are themselves homosexuals. Are they homophobic, then?)
No matter what one thinks about the issue in general, this specific attack is baseless.
I think everyone has been clear about that. Bauer made homophobic statements in the past, but has since retracted them.
(2017-09-28, 05:13 PM)Dante Wrote: [ -> ]Now see, I have no issue with those questions and actually think an interview focused on those things, as long as it contains a bunch of evidence that isn't just HIV/AIDS related, would be of value. Would you consider still doing the interview and just posting it in the "Other" forum?
Honestly, I have just contacted Bauer and explained him the situation. He understood - it is hardly the first time he deals with fury directed at him because of his HIV-AIDS position - and agreed that it's better to cancel the interview than to provoke a massive conflict in our community.
Asking him to be interviewed once again, just after he accepted the cancellation, would be a bit rude. Don't you think?
For the future:
WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER ON CLEAR AND CONCISE GUIDELINES FOR THE UPCOMING INTERVIEWS. I understand that our forum is mainly psi/mind/consciousness related, and some topics are simply not relevant enough to merit an interview here. But one should be informed where exactly the "line of relevance" is drawn.
For the future (2): of course, some debatable "borderline cases" will appear, inevitably. In such situations, it would be better to ask a community whether a guest / topic is acceptable before the invitation, and probably vote.
(2017-09-28, 06:40 PM)DaveB Wrote: [ -> ]Yes, I think Skeptiko has a free and open discussion - this place is turning into a 'safe space', you are right!
However, I would still love to head Linda's reply to the challenge that Kary Mullis posed all those years ago. State the paper that demonstrates that the HIV virus causes AIDS!
David
David, I think you missed
Ninshub's post here:
http://psiencequest.net/forums/thread-41...ml#pid7685
(2017-09-28, 03:45 PM)jkmac Wrote: [ -> ]Question for the admins-
Have we ever created a statement of purpose? A charter? or some other piece that describes the purpose of the forum?
No, as I indicated in this post:
http://psiencequest.net/forums/thread-41...ml#pid7524
we've had a private discussion over this matter. That post sums up the thinking for now. But it could be formalized.