How about a "Debunk this" section

[SeekingProtection]

There is so much pseudo-science in this world, and everyone isn't knowledgeable enough to know if it is false or true. This forum seems to have members who have a good grasp over Physics, so how about a section which allows a user to post their doubts about certain technologies or effects, which are held to be false or pseudo-science, and knowledgeable members here can debunk them giving reasons why they are false or pseudo-science.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Good suggestion but we've tried to before and it just ended up inviting the type of members we don't want into the community and wasted member's time endlessly debating things like perpetual motion machines.

 

[SeekingProtection]

Good suggestion but we've tried to before and it just ended up inviting the type of members we don't want into the community and wasted member's time endlessly debating things like perpetual motion machines.

Good to know. Thanks for the reply.

 

[SeekingProtection]

Maybe put a deadline of a week. If the debate remains unresolved, let it be. It's for the visitors of the site to benefit from such discussions.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Maybe put a deadline of a week. If the debate remains unresolved, let it be. It's for the visitors of the site to benefit from such discussions.

We only have so much energy and already some threads don't get the attention they deserve so we decided to channel as much energy as we can to our mainstream science forums.

 

[Zeke137]

It's a good idea in principle, but as Greg has pointed out, it would attract too much attention from proponents of pseudoscience.

A solution might be to provide a list of links to well-respected or -researched rebuttals of pseudoscience available online.

 

[phinds]

A solution might be to provide a list of links to well-respected or -researched rebuttals of pseudoscience available online.

There is a list of specifically forbidden topics:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/physics-forums-global-guidelines.414380/#post-3929007
some with links to debunking sites.

 

[Orodruin]

This forum seems to have members who have a good grasp over Physics

Yes, and we want to keep it that way. The reason many of us are here instead of other places is the zero-tolerance for nonsense. We do not want to be swamped by debunking threads where the OP simply refuses to acknowledge basic physics and often holds thought experiments in higher regard than actual experiments. It is not why we are here, we are here to discuss physics and to teach physics to people who want to learn about actual physics. Introduce such a forum and overall quality of PF would drop significantly.

 

[Rive]

I don't know how are others with this but by my experience this kind of thing just can't be kept contained safely. It is just better to keep safe distance from the start.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Hey, let's invite a bunch of crackpots over!
Then, let's cheese them off by telling them they are crackpots!

What could possibly go wrong with that?

 

[pinball1970]

There is a list of specifically forbidden topics:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/physics-forums-global-guidelines.414380/#post-3929007
some with links to debunking sites.

I would add anti-vaxers to that list

 

[Vanadium 50]

More (or possibly less) seriously, I am always amused by people whose very first post - after having joined ninety minutes beforehand - is "You guys are doing things wrong here!"

 

[DrClaude]

I would add anti-vaxers to that list

We don't need to explicitly list every forbidden topic. Only if it becomes a problem can we think of adding it to the list.

 

[DrClaude]

There is so much pseudo-science in this world, and everyone isn't knowledgeable enough to know if it is false or true. This forum seems to have members who have a good grasp over Physics, so how about a section which allows a user to post their doubts about certain technologies or effects, which are held to be false or pseudo-science, and knowledgeable members here can debunk them giving reasons why they are false or pseudo-science.

To summarize the good answers above: been there, done that, doesn't work.

Thread closed.