Format Guidelines

General Structure:

To expedite the discussion and keep it interesting there will be a general structure to the discussion. This will include various guidelines & expectations to keep the dialogue on track and to clarify for each of us the format & presentation. If you have any suggestions / comments/ or criticism please write the Author at theist@usa.net.

Each section of the discussion will be numbered an lettered according to the number and kind of submission made by each participant, to which also his/her name (or handle as the participant may prefer) will be affixed.

What each Participant can do:

Each partipant of the pro-Theism and pro-Atheism group is allowed THREE presentations and FIVE interventions (for a definition of these terms see below), and an unlimited number of calls-for-clarification/definition of terms. Each member of the onlookers gallery is allowed EIGHT interventions and an ulimited number of calls-for-clarification.

There is no time table for the dialogue and participants are not expected to meet dead lines.

Anyone can participate and join the discussion before or after it begins.

Submissions of presentations, inverventions, calls-for-clarification are to be made via email to the Author of these pages at theist@usa.net. Once the discussion begins, UNLESS YOU EXPLICITLY MENTION OTHERWISE, all correspondece with Theist in regard to the dialogue, will be quoted VERBATIM and IN ITS ENTIRETY, being published in the discussion document. (see exceptions below however)

Submissions may include links to philosophical texts, so long as these are "housed" at Third Party Sites, whose content is consistent with GEOCITES' guidelines.

What each Participant cannot do:

The Author asks all participants to refrain from commenting or suggestions evaluations of the character or intentions of the other participants (or the philosophers quoted by them) in the discussion. Also any material contrary to the expressed standards of GEOCITIES, including links to philosophical texts, will not be published. Do to otherwise would result in GEOCITIES' termination of the discussion.

The Author further askes that the same protocol be observed when writing one another via email, phone, or any other media, as this is to be a philosophical exchange among serious participants.

Any comments to the contrary, of such as has been mentioned here, shall be excerpted from the submissions of all participants.

Definition of Guideline-Terms:

Presentation: a statement of position on a major point

must include: a thesis to be defended, a defense of the thesis

may include: links to philosophers quoted, and/or definition of terms used

requirements: no larger than 20K in TXT format.

Intervention: an attack of any part of the body of the defense of anothers' thesis.

must include: text no larger than 10K in TXT format.

may include: links to philosophers quoted.

Call-for-clarification: a question of the use of a term, concept, or logical inference

must include: precise quote of said term, concept, or inference and explication of the reason why said term, concept, or inference needs clarification or explanation

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