Should we permit interviews on non-core subjects, esp AIDS/HIV?

Nobody's saying the interview can't take place. Ian proactively invited Vortex to conduct it and post it in a relevant subforum with his (Vortex's) ownership rather than that of the community. The consensus is just that the interview can't take place in the primary interview space which defines our mission.

Thanks.  It seemed like the interview was being scuttled.  I hope it materializes.

[Laird]

Thanks.  It seemed like the interview was being scuttled.  I hope it materializes.

No worries. Unfortunately, it seems that the interview won't go ahead, due to an apparent misunderstanding: see Vortex's post #155 in this thread.

Feel free to lobby Vortex to be "rude". :-)

So we're going to entertain posters like Pssst's cryptic word puzzles related to supposed alien existence/interaction but not interview subject matter experts on the reliability of science generally (with the clear connection to scientific investigation of psi).

Yes, color me highly disappointed with the consensus view here.  (And we're worried about credibility?)

Does anyone have any suggestions for other outlets I might explore?  Again, I will admit I was fully drawn into Skeptiko based on the tagline "intelligent discussion on science and spirituality".  I guess that's my fault for not seeing a "psi oriented" community as being much further away from this than I'd previously thought.

I think a non-psi discussion is perfectly reasonable, in the correct sub-forum. And that may include alien word puzzles, conspiracy theory, various non-psi science discussion, or non-PQ endorsed interviews. 

So I think this gives us the best of both worlds. You have access to a community that can choose to participate in an off-topic (to psi) discussion, w/o redefining what PQ is.

Seems like a reasonable balance to me.

Doesn't that meet your needs?

edit- I see that this has already been covered before I wrote this.... sorry for redundancy.

No worries. Unfortunately, it seems that the interview won't go ahead, due to an apparent misunderstanding: see Vortex's post #155 in this thread.

Feel free to lobby Vortex to be "rude". :-)

Thanks.  It seemed like the interview was being scuttled.  I hope it materializes.

Ok. After some thought, I will try to be rude. Bauer understood the situation once, and I think he will understand it once again. This man was dealing with intence emotional responses all his life, because of the wide range of his unorthodox interests.

Especially the last few years - after he accepted HIV skepticism.

To Laird and Ninshub: please make it clear and final - where exactly can I publish an interview (if Bauer agrees after being dismissed once, which is for him to decide).

To everyone else: I hope there would be no more announcements of (possible) leaving the forum, or (potential) splitting of the forum, no more demands of no-platforming etc.? These are just an emotional blackmail, whether you accept it or not.

Let's stop emotionalising and start thinking rationally. If you diagree with Bauer, soon you may have a perfect chance to direct your criticisms to him, personally - and clarify your disagreements in an open debate.

And, if you're so afraid for the forum reputation - I hope you understood that it will not be one of mainline interviews, just a peronal initiative by a member (me)?

So, do we all agree to the interview being published outside of the main sequence, and without the "Psience Quest" brand (to call it so)? Ok?

P.S. No-platformings, safe-spacings, trigger-warnings... These are all thin-weiled censorship, people, one which is sadly accepted and encouraged by modern snowflakish culture. Yet, culture of censorship is a culture of retreat. It is an intellectual defeatism.

If you think that Bauer is so miserably wrong, engage in debate. If someone is mistaken, it is better to expose his failures in debate, rather than try to banish him. It is better both ethically and pragmatically.

Vortex

If I understand correctly, the moderators have decided that HIV/AIDS denialism won't be discussed in the public part of the site. As I've explained a number of times, I wouldn't be able to continue participating if the site provided a platform for HIV/AIDS denialism.

Vortex

If I understand correctly, the moderators have decided that HIV/AIDS denialism won't be discussed in the public part of the site. As I've explained a number of times, I wouldn't be able to continue participating if the site provided a platform for HIV/AIDS denialism.

As I have said already, the topic of the interview is not HIV skepticism. It is Science and Technology Studies (STS) in general, and Bauer's seminal contributions to them. Contributions that, as I made clear, are respected even by the ones who disagree with Bauer.

And, BTW... how, on what basis did you decide - mistakenly - that the interview would be dedicated to HIV skepticism? I never mentioned it, and made clear that the topic would be Bauer's general positions on science.

As I have said already, the topic of the interview is not HIV skepticism. It is Science and Technology Studies (STS) in general, and Bauer's seminal contributions to them. Contributions that, as I made clear, are respected even by the ones who disagree with Bauer.

And, BTW... how, on what basis did you decide - mistakenly - that the interview would be dedicated to HIV skepticism? I never mentioned it, and made clear that the topic would be Bauer's general positions on science.

Yes - I was mistaken in thinking you had specified HIV/AID denialism as the subject of the interview. In the Skeptiko thread you mentioned only "his views" and "his position". You didn't specify what views or what position. (You didn't say anything about his "general positions on science".) It was others in that thread who were keen to discuss HIV/AIDS.

But in any case, if you aren't proposing to discuss HIV/AIDS with him, there's no problem that I can see.

As I have said already, the topic of the interview is not HIV skepticism. It is Science and Technology Studies (STS) in general, and Bauer's seminal contributions to them. Contributions that, as I made clear, are respected even by the ones who disagree with Bauer.

And, BTW... how, on what basis did you decide - mistakenly - that the interview would be dedicated to HIV skepticism? I never mentioned it, and made clear that the topic would be Bauer's general positions on science.

As a matter of interest (genuine question), apart from the above studies which don’t seem to have been well received, what marks Bauer out as a scientist whose views ought to be of any more interest than any other person involved in science?

Ok. After some thought, I will try to be rude. Bauer understood the situation once, and I think he will understand it once again. This man was dealing with intence emotional responses all his life, because of the wide range of his unorthodox interests.

Especially the last few years - after he accepted HIV skepticism.

To Laird and Ninshub: please make it clear and final - where exactly can I publish an interview (if Bauer agrees after being dismissed once, which is for him to decide).

To everyone else: I hope there would be no more announcements of (possible) leaving the forum, or (potential) splitting of the forum, no more demands of no-platforming etc.? These are just an emotional blackmail, whether you accept it or not.

Let's stop emotionalising and start thinking rationally. If you diagree with Bauer, soon you may have a perfect chance to direct your criticisms to him, personally - and clarify your disagreements in an open debate.

And, if you're so afraid for the forum reputation - I hope you understood that it will not be one of mainline interviews, just a peronal initiative by a member (me)?

So, do we all agree to the interview being published outside of the main sequence, and without the "Psience Quest" brand (to call it so)? Ok?

P.S. No-platformings, safe-spacings, trigger-warnings... These are all thin-weiled censorship, people, one which is sadly accepted and encouraged by modern snowflakish culture. Yet, culture of censorship is a culture of retreat. It is an intellectual defeatism.

If you think that Bauer is so miserably wrong, engage in debate. If someone is mistaken, it is better to expose his failures in debate, rather than try to banish him. It is better both ethically and pragmatically.

People saying they will leave the forum if X happens isn't 'emotional blackmail' - it's simply stating a position. I am using my personal identity to get interviews - if the forum had given Bauer an official interview my name will be linked with that man. It is rational and reasonable for me not to want this.

Next is your nonsense about 'snowflakes culture' and this being 'censorship' no it is not - nobody is owed a platform. It's also all our forum and we all decide what we do with it, it's not up to you to tell us not to be 'snowflakes' (nice to see you using alt-right language too). 

Not everybody deserves the time to be debated, as Chris has said - Bauer's views are dangerous. Why you want to interview this man is beyond me, and arguably many people came to this forum to get away from people like Bauer.

Also you're telling people to be rational and not emotional - take your own advice.