@jgweed,
jgweed;137201 wrote:While have some background in "traditional" philosophy is extremely useful, it is just as important to be committed to approach discussions intellectually and authentically and this requires little formal study of philosophy. The Members here have varying levels of knowledge, but all share a desire to approach problems, solutions, and ideas from what one can call, in a general manner, a philosophical point of view.
I agree with that, and I don't think anything needs to be added to it, but I would also find it philosophically interesting - at some stage, in one of these forums - to have a discussion of what we need to take for granted about one another's existence as persons, and what ideals of online verbal behaviour need to be observed, in order to have fruitful philosophical dialogue. I doubt if any agreement would emerge; also, "anything goes", in that no-one can predict what might prove fruitful for an individual; but it could still be fruitful to stage a little version of
The Republic!
(Bags I get to play Socrates! But I promise I won't ban the poets, or require a knowledge of geometry, so long as I don't have to drink hemlock.)