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UraniumDonGER  Marie Curies last wish  1yr ago (image post)   2474 thread views

Greetings Mottizens!

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I come in peace, just want to see whats around here



							

						

					


					
							
							

								

				
						

						

					

					

					

						

						

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What is this site??????????? I literally have no idea you guys should make a welcome thread that explains what this is


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			 
				
					

						
							



	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
This is the alternative site for a subreddit called /r/themotte, check it out on reddit (still on, for now) if you want to know more.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			 
				
					

						
							



	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
Alright, I am just going to go ahead and say that this is not the kind of username we want around here. I'd offer you a username change but we don't have a way to do that right now; instead I'm going to ban you and tell you to make a new account.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			

	


			
			 
				
					

						
					

				
			
		

	



						
					

				
			
		

	



						
					

				
			
		

	




	

	

	

	

	

	
	

	
	

	
 















	






			
			

		

		
			
				


	

		
	


	


		
What is this place?

		

			This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a 
			court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to 
			optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.



			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!


			
			Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. 
			You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.
		


		

		
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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			If in doubt, please post it!
		


		

        
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