Original Members of Philosophy Forums .com

Hi, Everyone

First, to the Admin of ILP and the moderators, I’m not here to advertise a new philosophy forum or solicit members. What I am trying to do is a reunion of the original members of philosophyforums.com; by original meaning the first 3 to 5 years of PF’s existence. Maybe former PF members are here or may know the whereabouts of others. And as for “thephilosophyforums.com”(TPF), yes, I know about it and no disrespect to them but it doesn’t seem to me as much of a PF ‘expats’ place as touted.

I won’t take up space here with the details, here is a piece that explains the project if you wish to read it: Original Members of Philosophy Forums.com. Note: if by the time you access this the url has changed then just go to Sitesetis.com and search the menu archive.

Thus far, registrants are Paul (founder of PF) who said he’d join in the seance , Geoff23, Tobias, Distortion, and me as ‘Daniel V’ (on PF I was known as, ‘Spaces’).

Yes, it’s a long shot after around 17 years but I figured to give it a try and see what’s what.

Thank you

what about 180 Proof? is he still around?

Promethean75

Think of the reunion project as a message in a bottle and I’m setting it on the sea of the internet. In fact, many bottles with different names in it. Maybe 180 Proof, or any other member, will find it, maybe not. Time will tell whether a good and genuine intent prevails.

For the moment I’m trying to get as many of those members to join in the reunion. The more names, the more light, the farther away it can be seen.

Simple.

Daniel V.

Not sure if it’s the same forum, but I was once “banned for life” at the Philosophy Forum by Postmodern Beatnik.

Apparently, I didn’t take philosophy seriously enough for him. And, as some here will no doubt attest, I still don’t.

“What might be a probable narrative for one may only be a possible narrative for another. But then something in their life changes [again, new experiences, new relationships, new ways of thinking about things] and the narrative becomes increasingly more probable.”
iambiguous__ “the psychology of objectivism - one possible narrative”

That is one of the aspects that would be interesting to hear from others at the ‘possible’ reunion. Whether you, PostModern Beatnik, or anyone else, there would have to be some changes in the narratives. There is a part of us that each person could say remains the ‘same’; sure, I could say that for some aspects of myself. But it’s a private matter, evolution and entropy go public and don’t concern themselves with private, psychological portfolios. Now, epigenetically, that might be a different story but we don’t have enough on that yet.

Anyway, this topic is about the reunion so I don’t want to go off on a tangent.

Daniel V.

Well, when someone boots you out of the discussions – for life! – your changing narrative becomes rather moot.

Anyway, good luck with your reunion. And if postmodern beatnik is anyway involved, tell him from me to go fuck himself.

Is that the forum I was banned from for posting a thread asking about astrology and birth signs? I think it might be, but it was a long time ago.

Yeah and post this rap over there, del. iambiguous recorded this a while ago for all the objectivist tryin’ to stick him for his paper:

vocaroo.com/i/s1Cs3aEjNpRK

At philosophyforums, things ain’t always what it seems. It’s the ones that smoke blunts witcha, see ya pictcha, then they wanna grab they guns and come and getcha. But we betcha biggy won’t slip. He got the calico with the black talons loaded in the clip.

(You didn’t know iambiguous could rap like that, didja?)

Removed for inadequate content

If many people go to a party, and afterwards you ask some of them how it went, some will say it was a good party and others will say it was terrible.

Personally, I had my own disagreements with Paul now and then. I expressed them civilly, always remembering that getting angry at what amounts to text on a screen was perhaps better reserved for the news of the day, politics and so on. Plenty there to get angry at even to this day.

I do not know of your particular incidents or whether it was Paul, Postmodern Beatnik or some other moderator whom you had, and apparently still have, a gripe with. But whichever, the fact remains that it was nothing more than an online forum where the majority of participants remained anonymous with nicknames. Anonymity is a two-way street. One way you’re the critic, the other way you’re the criticized. Same street. If I do not know who you really are, and you don’t know I really am, then why get upset about the dialogue? Nonetheless, you are entitled to feel whichever way you want.

There were some good discussions on PF and it was evident that many others enjoyed them since the venue skyrocketed to 50,000 members. I do not know the timeline of your grievances but remember that PF went through some changes especially with the new owners. From what I’ve gathered from bits here and there things began to deteriorate with them.

Anyway, that was a long time ago, at least in my participation. In a galaxy, far, far away.

I will ask Paul about your particular criticisms. But you know what? Whether him, all of you, or me, we all move on, even from those things that are far more consequential than a forum where one will probably never know the real identity of others. And even if you did know the real identities, chances are that in a person to person conversation with them all the nuances and understanding about what was being said would make sense and resolution an easy attainment. Flatland or 3D, it’s one’s call.

You do not wish to participate? That’s quite all right. I wish you well.

Thank You

Daniel V.

I was never on PF, but I know we’ve absorbed a few disaffected members over the years, and you’re absolutely welcome to try to get in touch with them through ILP. PF long included ILP on a list of other philosophy forums, which I took to reflect a certain dignity befitting a philosopher (forum) king, and have tried to emulate here.

I can relate to the feeling of wanting to seek out the people we connected with in the early days of the internet. I don’t think I realized at the time, but looking back it’s clear that they were among my closest childhood friends, and as much a part of me as any I’ve ever had IRL.

Good luck, I hope you find what you’re looking for.

Thank you, Carleas.

At its core it’s a simple idea. Some ‘philosophy acquaintances’ from the past getting together and seeing how life’s been treating each other. A lot of things change in 17 years and there would no doubt be some philosophical value just in that.

Daniel V.