This is something I’ve been working on recently and I would like everyone’s opinion and suggestions on it being as it could affect us all. I am proposing a reconstruction of the known rules ben and hvd have laid out to better keep the stability of ILP in order. Here’s what I’ve made so far…
LEGIS ADMINISTRO DIALOGUS
SEPTEMBER 2005 EDITION
EXORDIUM
In order to preserve and promote the domestic tranquility within the forums,
the members of ILP (ilovephilosophy.com) should find it in their interest to
abide by the rules and regulations within this covenant for the adjudication and
administration of philosophical conversation by the governing members.
AETERNUS FAS
There is one governing member of the forum who has supreme authority in all matters, and that member administrates protocol and overall management of the forums and its members. This sole member may assume any title he/she sees fit, however, for the sake of this document, it is Administrator. [ben] (portio i)
All other governing members under the Administrator are known as Moderators and have only the authority to moderate the written material of ILP members. [alexistentialism, bob, hvd, impenitent, liquidangel, louise, magius, marshall mcdaniel, matt, matthew e., obw, pangloss, pax vitae, polemarchus, tentative, xanderman] (portio ii)
Certain Moderators have the extended authority and responsibility to maintain and improve the design and infrastructure of the site. [pax vitae, matthew e.] (portio iii)
The Administrator and Moderators - as well as the whole ILP site and underlying forums - do not exist to service the philosophical needs of philosophy students looking for help with current paperwork or other nonsensical errata. Such persons are advised to look elsewhere. (portio iv)
With the creation of a specialty forum that serves a purpose other than conversation, a member who is not a Moderator has the authority to act as a Moderator within the confines of this select forum. This member has all the authoritive powers of a Moderator, but only in the given forum. [magius] (portio v)
The main forums for conversation and debate within ILP should pertain to the following subjects: Philosophy, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Psychology, and Religion. The main forums cannot be removed. Other forums outside of the stated genres are considered extracurricular. There is no limit to the number of extracurricular forums. Extracurricular forums can be removed. (portio vi)
ASCRIPTO SECUNDUM FAS
Ignorance shall not be tolerated. (portio i)
Any commentary that does not conform to a topic within the genres of the main forums or extracurricular forums is not allowed. Members are advised to think about what they write before they write it, and read what they have written before they post it. (portio ii)
There shall be no ad hominem arguments. (portio iii)
There shall be no direct insults. The Administrator and Moderators have the discretion to justify the fine line between criticism and insult. (portio iv)
Posts by members which contain nonsensical questions or commentary, or which have nothing fruitful to offer to a given topic in the forums shall be removed at the discretion of the Administrator or Moderators with just cause. Members are advised to ask themselves: “Am I making a post which is either informative or interesting on any level?” Also: “Am I presenting my own views on the subject in sufficient depth to provoke discussion?” These questions should be asked before finishing a post. (portio v)
Posting repetition is not allowed. Members are advised to back-check the forums for past-existing threads concerning the topic they desire to comment upon. (portio vi)
The posting of an identical post or thread in one or more forums is not allowed. (portio vii)
Failure to use the Quote button is inexcusable. It exist solely to allow a member to make multiple comments to one or more persons through the ease of one posting. Concordantly, consecutive posting, unless otherwise intended as a joke in an extracurricular forum, shall not be tolerated. (portio viii)
Strange forms of communication through the forum, such as posting only in binary numbers or the mass deleting of posts, are not tolerated. (portio ix)
Plagiarism shall not be tolerated. (portio x)
Members leaving ILP for any given amount of time, be it short or forever, are advised to not publicize and waste forum space. Self-martyring is poinless. (portio xi)
There shall be no commentary anywhere within the ILP site about other philosophy forum sites. ILP practices a policy of seclusion - there are no other philosophy forum sites. Members who join ILP from leaving a previous philosophy forum site are advised not to mention that being the reason for joining. (portio xii)
Spam, or any advertisements whatsoever, shall not be tolerated. (portio xiii)
