There is an understandable "shyness" on the part of some students, amateur scholars and retired professionals which makes them reluctant to put their ideas in public view. There's nothing really wrong with that; often they do not want to face the risk of humiliation they face at the hands of professors or superiors in small seminars now in a wider audience. Furthermore, words spoken in a class or at a meeting tend to siappear, while words put on paper or on the internet tend to stick around.

And yet, it is clear that as focused students or specialists aquire large amounts of knowledge, these same people would love to test their "critical judgement" before it faces the babtism of fire in a thesis defence.

To resolve this seeming contradiction, we ofer the option of anonymity. Or should one like to particularize one's ideas as eminating from one source, we offer the option of pseudonym. Of these, it would seem that the best idea is to define one's pseudonym as a "pen name." In this way, once sure of one's self and one's ideas, one can announce his/her true identity as the source of the brilliant analysis everyone is talking about.

It is ideas which we wish to put up on this MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE PAGE for the scrutiny of others, not personalities. We, therefore, leave it to our authors to identify themselves in whatever way suits them best.

The MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE PAGE wishes to emphasize that we encourage all our submitting authors to identify themselves in whatever ways are to their advantage and in whatever ways make it possible for their readers to provide them with feedback. But from our point of view there are no requirements; one need only do that which makes him/her comfortable. If, however, an author happens to feel that an autobiographica blurb would help all the readers understand "where he/she is coming from," that would be greatly appreciated.

HOWEVER, BE FORWARNED, THAT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT ANONYMITY OR PSUDONYMS SHOULD THESE SERVE TO DIS-INHIBIT SOMEONE FROM SLANDER, AD HOMINIM ATTACK, OR ATTEMPT TO PERSONALLY DISCREDIT SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE IT WOULD SPARE THE PERPETRATOR CONCEQUENCES.

IF SUCH SEEMS IN ANY WAY APPROPRIATE-- WHICH SEEMS GENERALLY DOUBTFUL-- THEN WE WILL DEMAND A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH FROM THE AUTHOR TO INDICATE ONE'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE TARGET INDIVIDUAL AND A WILLINGNESS TO FACE THE CONCEQUENCES OF ONE'S OWN WORDS!

Discression on the latter issue is left to the MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE PAGE manager on duty at the time of submission. An appeal can be made to the Management Board of the page by sending an e-mail stating the case, should one disagree with the decision of the manager on call.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO TRUE MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE AND RESPONSIBLE DEBATE

The MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE PAGE Management