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naraburns  nihil supernum  1yr ago (text post)   2499 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for November 4, 2022

Be advised; this thread is not for serious in depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Hello? Can anybody read this?

We filter new users so a mod can take a look at their posts - we regularly eliminate spam and trolls that way - but it looks like this weekend was busy for our mods and I'm just now getting to it. Your post is approved :)

Thank you. It would be helpful to state that to new users in the welcome message. I was told to "feel free to comment or post".

Yeah, I'm holding off on it because I think most people never notice, and I think it's a bigger barrier to be told that your posts will be held for comment.

But it kinda sucks for people who do notice.

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The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

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Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.


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