Is this wrong? (Debate tactics)

[Subduction Zone]

As to debating the structure of the debate should be set up before hand and anything in that structure should be allowed.

As to phone in's, It is best practice to admit you have no knowledge on the subject they bring up and then return to the debate structure. A debate can always be done on the new subject in the future with people who actually have the knowledge necessary.

I have seen Matt Dillahunty (stupid spell check telling me I spelled Dillahunty wrong now where was I? Oh yeah) ask as a starter "What do you believe and why?" and for some reason that can be the hardest thing for a theist to express. Maybe because when they try to put it into words they realize how flawed their reasoning is? I really cannot say for sure when it comes to that question.

 

[Kenny]

I think the "go learn" may be due to frustration with the various creationists that have no knowledge and ignore corrections and even run away from offers to help them to learn the basics.

That certainly can happen. As I have experienced it, it was more along the lines of what the poster suggested.

 

[sun rise]

This has been used even on this forum. They don’t address the issue… they simply say “go learn”. It is like when I use to say “Everyone interprets the Bible differently” as a non-Christian - when I didn’t know what to say.

This to me is a tricky area. If someone asks a question out of ignorance, it might be snarky response or it might be that there's no way to answer the question in a thread when the answer requires a complex explanation worthy of a college course. So "go learn" could be either a put down or that the subject is complex. Here context and history count.

Most often what I've seen is an extreme view or an ignorant one. People like one of my relatives who is a devoted Christian who has zero problems with science including evolution get ignored. His view is "in the beginning God created... including the laws of nature including evolution". He can read about Adam and Eve as a metaphor of the time in evolution when people developed a sense of right and wrong and left the "Eden" of ignorant animality. And so forth.

To often what I've seen is related to one side or both wanting to feel superior and put down the other side with people enjoying rooting for the "good guys" and against the "bad guys".

 

[Quintessence]

I'm pretty sure these "atheist" call-in shows are there to preach their dogmas, not to listen to others. So yeah, they're going to shut down anything that doesn't agree with their dogma and play by their rules.

is it wrong? Meh... it is what it is. Happens around here, too.

 

[Subduction Zone]

That certainly can happen. As I have experienced it, it was more along the lines of what the poster suggested.

It may have happened to you, or it may be your interpretation. I would need to see such comments in context.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I'm pretty sure these "atheist" call-in shows are there to preach their dogmas, not to listen to others. So yeah, they're going to shut down anything that doesn't agree with their dogma and play by their rules.

is it wrong? Meh... it is what it is. Happens around here, too.

A talk show has a limited amount of time and they have to keep it interesting. So a limited approach by callers is usually seen to be the key to getting people to make their points clearly and succinctly.

Matt Dillahunty's strategy is to ask "What do you believe in and why?" It is amazingly hard to get most of the callers to answer that rather basic question.

 

[Kenny]

It may have happened to you, or it may be your interpretation. I would need to see such comments in context.

No worries. It isn’t an issue for me to dig into it.

 

[Quintessence]

A talk show has a limited amount of time and they have to keep it interesting. So a limited approach by callers is usually seen to be the key to getting people to make their points clearly and succinctly.

Matt Dillahunty's strategy is to ask "What do you believe in and why?" It is amazingly hard to get most of the callers to answer that rather basic question.

Ah, I'm not familiar with the specific show in question. I perhaps assume too much of the context the OP speaks of - it just made me think of interviews that reduce themselves to chest-beating, posturing, showpersonship, and at times outright berating the guests.

In the context you present here? Frankly? It's not that basic of a question given public schools do not cover anything about either philosophy or religion. Or psychology, or sociology, or anthropology... which also offer good perspectives on those questions. Then there are the many times the individual has actually thought about it, but their communication skills aren't that great so they can't articulate it well (I've worked at university long enough now to appreciate how inarticulate a lot of people actually are). And the cases where the listener just doesn't want to hear it and doesn't believe what the speaker is telling them. It gets... needlessly complicated.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Ah, I'm not familiar with the specific show in question. I perhaps assume too much of the context the OP speaks of - it just made me think of interviews that reduce themselves to chest-beating, posturing, showpersonship, and at times outright berating the guests.

In the context you present here? Frankly? It's not that basic of a question given public schools do not cover anything about either philosophy or religion. Or psychology, or sociology, or anthropology... which also offer good perspectives on those questions. Then there are the many times the individual has actually thought about it, but their communication skills aren't that great so they can't articulate it well (I've worked at university long enough now to appreciate how inarticulate a lot of people actually are). And the cases where the listener just doesn't want to hear it and doesn't believe what the speaker is telling them. It gets... needlessly complicated.

At least for Matt it is not as if the question is a surprise. He goes over it in every show and people generally do not call in on their first watch of the show, or hopefully they do not.