Unexplained Mysteries Discussion Forums: Debates Discussion - Unexplained Mysteries Discussion Forums

Jump to content

Board guidelines

For more information on how the debates board works please view our Formal Debates FAQ.

A debate thread with status "[Debate]" is currently live and only the two debate participants may post there.

The "[Open]" status means that a debate has ended and other members may post comments in the thread. If you are not a participant of a given debate then please do not post in that thread until the "[Open]" status is showing, we will remove any outside comments posted in the middle of a live debate.

In addition to our standard forum rules, for debates we ask:

No ad hominem attacks: Always attack the points being presented based on the merits or otherwise of the argument, do not personally attack, insult, mock or otherwise make derogatory comments aimed at the person who is presenting that argument or with whom you disagree.

Source citation: If you are relying on an unsubstantiated claim to support your side of a debate you must always back up such claims with a logical argument or with a relevant publication citation or source link should one be required or requested in order to validate the accuracy of the claim being made.

Fact vs opinion: If you are presenting a claim that is personal opinion only then please state as such; personal opinion, speculation or hearsay should not be presented as supporting evidence in a debate.

To start a debate with another member click the "Debate" button under one of their posts or from their profile menu.
  • 3 Pages +
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Closed
  • You cannot start a new topic

Debates Discussion Questions and comments

#1 User is offline   Saru 


  • Site Webmaster
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Administrator
  • Posts: 13,870
  • Joined: 06-March 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland

  • "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." - Albert Einstein

Posted 11 October 2008 - 09:13 PM

This thread is intended for questions and comments pertaining to the formal debates board.

Commonly asked questions will be added to the FAQ thread.
- Saru

Unexplained Mysteries | Ghost Mysteries | Optical Illusionist

#2 User is offline   Abecrombie 


  • I kid ,... Hey Vincent Price smoke a cigar !
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Member
  • Posts: 2,383
  • Joined: 01-October 05
  • Gender:Female
  • Location:Planet Maiden

  • " Barky Von Snauzer ! ,..Barky Von Snauzer !
    Barky Von ....For ..Me ..To ..PooP ..On ! "

Posted 12 October 2008 - 11:22 AM

Awesome !

Saru,

Q: I would like to know if this Formal Debate Forum is any different than the previous debates here at the Unexplained Mysteries ?
Posted ImageZombiedog

#3 User is offline   Saru 


  • Site Webmaster
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Administrator
  • Posts: 13,870
  • Joined: 06-March 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland

  • "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." - Albert Einstein

Posted 12 October 2008 - 11:24 AM

Quote

Q: I would like to know if this Formal Debate Forum is any different than the previous debates here at the Unexplained Mysteries ?

They are esentially the same however members can now set up debates themselves on a topic of choice as oppose to having to volunteer for a specific debate thread set up by a debate organiser. The scoring and judging system has also been scrapped in favour of optional member commenting once a debate is completed.
- Saru

Unexplained Mysteries | Ghost Mysteries | Optical Illusionist

#4 User is offline   Abecrombie 


  • I kid ,... Hey Vincent Price smoke a cigar !
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Member
  • Posts: 2,383
  • Joined: 01-October 05
  • Gender:Female
  • Location:Planet Maiden

  • " Barky Von Snauzer ! ,..Barky Von Snauzer !
    Barky Von ....For ..Me ..To ..PooP ..On ! "

Posted 12 October 2008 - 11:41 AM

Quote

The scoring and judging system has also been scrapped in favour of optional member commenting once a debate is completed.
Q: Can you specify this ? I don't quite understand .

Thank You,
Abecrombie
Posted ImageZombiedog

#5 User is offline   Saru 


  • Site Webmaster
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Administrator
  • Posts: 13,870
  • Joined: 06-March 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland

  • "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." - Albert Einstein

Posted 12 October 2008 - 11:54 AM

From the FAQ:

Quote

Q. Will there be scoring and judges this time around ?
One of the biggest problems with the old debate set up was the scoring system. Members were having to wait too long for their debates to be judged, there was no way to guarantee impartial scoring and many debaters were opposed to the system. This time therefore we've decided to scrap the score system and instead allow a debate thread to be open for other members to comment once the debate has finished. This allows others to provide feedback on what they thought about the debate but without there being any official scoring or judging. When setting up a formal debate an option is available to not allow the debate to be open to comments afterwards if preferred.

- Saru

Unexplained Mysteries | Ghost Mysteries | Optical Illusionist

#6 User is offline   SQLserver 


  • Poltergeist
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Member
  • Posts: 2,164
  • Joined: 18-November 07
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:USA

  • "Never underestimate the power of human stupidity"

Posted 12 October 2008 - 12:38 PM

Wait, so can I PM someone requesting a debate, and if they accept, I can just start a topic for it?

Thanks,
SQLserver
SQL's Blog
QMML: XML + ? + *

#7 User is offline   Saru 


  • Site Webmaster
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Administrator
  • Posts: 13,870
  • Joined: 06-March 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland

  • "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." - Albert Einstein

Posted 12 October 2008 - 01:10 PM

Quote

Wait, so can I PM someone requesting a debate, and if they accept, I can just start a topic for it?

You can't start a topic through conventional means on the debates board, only through the debate system. You can PM someone and discuss a debate idea beforehand and mutually agree to participate, but in order to start that debate you will still need to do it through the debate system.
- Saru

Unexplained Mysteries | Ghost Mysteries | Optical Illusionist

#8 User is offline   Tiggs 


  • Relax. It's only me.
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Forum Mod. Team
  • Posts: 4,617
  • Joined: 30-January 05
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Leicester, England

  • Universe Service Pack 2 still needs patching.

Posted 12 October 2008 - 01:26 PM

You can start a debate, here:

linked-image
Posted Image

#9 User is offline   danielost 


  • Omnipotent Entity
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Member
  • Posts: 8,991
  • Joined: 26-November 07
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:the only known inhabited planet in the universe

Posted 12 October 2008 - 01:44 PM

Except for the jokes and riddle threads, I thought that was the idea behind the whole site was debate or did I miss something.

This post has been edited by danielost: 12 October 2008 - 01:46 PM

all are loved. except me. even god hates me.

#10 User is offline   Saru 


  • Site Webmaster
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Administrator
  • Posts: 13,870
  • Joined: 06-March 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland

  • "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." - Albert Einstein

Posted 12 October 2008 - 01:56 PM

Quote

Except for the jokes and riddle threads, I thought that was the idea behind the whole site was debate or did I miss something.

These are structured, formal 1 vs 1 debates in which only the two members taking part can participate.
- Saru

Unexplained Mysteries | Ghost Mysteries | Optical Illusionist

#11 User is offline   when.i.am.queen. 


  • Think Big™
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Member
  • Posts: 1,372
  • Joined: 10-December 06
  • Gender:Female
  • Location:qwuakana

  • Sucking on colorforms
    Becoming see through
    Still hating everyone
    As I digest you

Posted 13 October 2008 - 11:25 AM

Presumably, the debates must consist of a supernatural or UM like topic, yes?
Posted Image

#12 User is offline   Saru 


  • Site Webmaster
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Administrator
  • Posts: 13,870
  • Joined: 06-March 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland

  • "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." - Albert Einstein

Posted 13 October 2008 - 11:29 AM

Quote

Presumably, the debates must consist of a supernatural or UM like topic, yes?

No you can start a debate on any topic, it doesn't have to be paranormal related.
- Saru

Unexplained Mysteries | Ghost Mysteries | Optical Illusionist

#13 User is offline   SQLserver 


  • Poltergeist
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Member
  • Posts: 2,164
  • Joined: 18-November 07
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:USA

  • "Never underestimate the power of human stupidity"

Posted 15 October 2008 - 07:46 PM

Ahh! Is anyone else experiencing this?
For example, I see the title of a debate I just challenged someone to as the "Latest Post" in the debates.

However, in the debate section I don't see the thread, and clicking on the thread from the "Latest Posts" thing gets me:

Quote

Sorry, some required files are missing, if you intended to view a topic, it's possible that it's been moved or deleted. Please go back and try again.


Can someone tell me if the thread is actually there, or it isn't there yet and something's wrong...

Thanks.

Edit: I see it now. Huh.

This post has been edited by sqlserver: 15 October 2008 - 08:45 PM

SQL's Blog
QMML: XML + ? + *

#14 User is offline   BlindMessiah 


  • Majestic 12 Operative
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Member
  • Posts: 5,863
  • Joined: 21-December 07
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Earth

  • Everyone is an idiot at some point in their life. For me it was a phase, but with you, it seems to be a calling. - Me, during my phase

Posted 15 October 2008 - 09:01 PM

sqlserver on Oct 15 2008, 08:46 PM, said:

Ahh! Is anyone else experiencing this?
For example, I see the title of a debate I just challenged someone to as the "Latest Post" in the debates.

However, in the debate section I don't see the thread, and clicking on the thread from the "Latest Posts" thing gets me:


Can someone tell me if the thread is actually there, or it isn't there yet and something's wrong...

Thanks.

Edit: I see it now. Huh.

Same thing when I challenged someone. I don't think it shows up until the challenged accepts. But a challenge shows up as latest post with the error message.
Posted Image

#15 User is offline   Saru 


  • Site Webmaster
  • Icon
  • View blog
  • Group: Administrator
  • Posts: 13,870
  • Joined: 06-March 01
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Scotland

  • "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." - Albert Einstein

Posted 15 October 2008 - 10:08 PM

Quote

I don't think it shows up until the challenged accepts. But a challenge shows up as latest post with the error message.

That is what's happening, it's a known bug that's currently being looked in to.
- Saru

Unexplained Mysteries | Ghost Mysteries | Optical Illusionist
  • 3 Pages +
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Closed
  • You cannot start a new topic

1 User(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users