How to hide a category from the main page

Jamal December 22, 2022 at 17:54 7175 views 35 comments
I didn't know this functionality existed until today, when @Daniel explained it here.

If you click on a category in the left hand menu (on mobile these are under Categories in the top right menu) and scroll to the bottom, there is an icon button of an eye, which toggles the main page visibility of discussions in that category.

Comments (35)

T Clark December 22, 2022 at 20:02 #765859
Benkei December 22, 2022 at 21:07 #765871
Finally, no more religious crap!
Banno December 22, 2022 at 21:49 #765880
T Clark December 22, 2022 at 23:03 #765891
Quoting Benkei
Finally, no more religious crap!


Finally, no excuse for anti-religious bigotry in "Philosophy of Religion" threads.
Benkei December 23, 2022 at 05:14 #765979
Reply to T Clark I'm not anti-religious, I'm against stupid threads. And since all the god arguments have been disproved, all of them are stupid.
T Clark December 23, 2022 at 17:57 #766098
Quoting Benkei
I'm not anti-religious, I'm against stupid threads. And since all the god arguments have been disproved, all of them are stupid.


Definition of bigotry - The character or mode of thought of a bigot; obstinate and unreasonable attachment to a particular creed, opinion, practice, ritual, or party organization; excessive zeal or warmth in favor of a party, sect, or opinion; intolerance of the opinions of others.

No further questions. I rest my case. That's the name of that tune. Nuff said. Quod erat demonstrandum.
Benkei December 23, 2022 at 18:01 #766101
Reply to T Clark Ah, you've just described religious persons as bigots. That's not very nice.
T Clark December 23, 2022 at 18:05 #766104
Quoting Benkei
Ah, you've just described religious persons as bigots. That's not very nice.


How is that relevant to your behavior?
Benkei December 23, 2022 at 18:26 #766111
Reply to T Clark I'm sorry? You've been on this site how long? If you think any of the proofs of God actually works, you haven't been paying attention.
T Clark December 23, 2022 at 18:49 #766115
Quoting Benkei
I'm sorry? You've been on this site how long? If you think any of the proofs of God actually works, you haven't been paying attention.


Klaatu barada nikto
Nils Loc December 23, 2022 at 19:04 #766121
Quoting T Clark
The character or mode of thought of a bigot; obstinate and unreasonable attachment to a particular creed, opinion, practice, ritual, or party organization; excessive zeal or warmth in favor of a party, sect, or opinion; intolerance of the opinions of others.


Sounds like all humans are naturally bigots by this definition. There are any number of non-harmful(?) ways of being which will elicit intolerance of others with appeal to what is (sub)culturally normal.
T Clark December 23, 2022 at 19:12 #766124
Quoting Nils Loc
Sounds like all humans are naturally bigots by this definition.


Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe.
Nils Loc December 23, 2022 at 19:16 #766125
Quoting T Clark
Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe.


Are you implying what I said is just nonsense. Why not just say so explicitly.
Janus December 24, 2022 at 05:53 #766244
Reply to T Clark :up: I'm with you on that. If some are asking what you think are silly questions, or making what you think are silly statements, regarding religion, then just turn a blind eye. as you would to any subject that doesn't interest you.
Janus December 24, 2022 at 05:57 #766245
Reply to T Clark :up: I'm with you on that. If some are asking what you think are silly questions, or making what you think are silly statements, regarding religion, then just turn a blind eye. as you would to any subject that doesn't interest you.

Quoting Benkei
I'm sorry? You've been on this site how long? If you think any of the proofs of God actually works, you haven't been paying attention.


If you had been paying attention you would know that whether they are believed to work or not depends on what your unarguable founding presuppositions are; there can be no definitive demonstration that they do or do not work; the possibility of such demonstration exists only in the domain of logic or the empirical.
Benkei December 24, 2022 at 06:43 #766247
Reply to Janus Yes, exactly. And assumptions aren't proof so they don't work.
T Clark December 24, 2022 at 16:23 #766287
Quoting Janus
just turn a blind eye. as you would to any subject that doYYesn't interest you.


Yes. That was my point in the whole exchange - Now that we can block whole categories, anti-religious people can avoid the whole problem rather than whining and growling over religious threads.
Hanover December 24, 2022 at 17:11 #766293
Realizing that the logical proofs for the existence of God fail isn't bigotry. It's just true.

I saw them as a helpful way to learn the basic structure of syllogisms and to locate errors within them during my introductory philosophy classes, but if you walked away from that thinking God had been proven (or disproven) by the sheer force of logic alone, I think you missed something.
Hanover December 24, 2022 at 17:23 #766294
Quoting T Clark
Yes. That was my point in the whole exchange - Now that we can block whole categories, anti-religious people can avoid the whole problem rather than whining and growling over religious threads


I'm not in favor of encouraging those who disagree with a topic to avoid that topic so as to allow those in agreement to hold their conversations in peace. If you advocate a position in a philosophy forum, there should be an expectation you'll receive vigorous disagreement.

In fact, if someone finds it insulting to be challenged as to their religious beliefs, then it would make better sense for that person to avoid those topics.
Noble Dust December 24, 2022 at 17:29 #766295
Quoting Hanover
during my introductory philosophy classes


:chin:
T Clark December 24, 2022 at 19:36 #766315
Quoting Hanover
I'm not in favor of encouraging those who disagree with a topic to avoid that topic so as to allow those in agreement to hold their conversations in peace.


Yes, I agree, but my post was in response to @Benkei's provocative post. See below.

Quoting T Clark
Finally, no more religious crap!
— Benkei

Finally, no excuse for anti-religious bigotry in "Philosophy of Religion" threads.


I'm all for respectful, responsive comments from non-theists in posts on religious subjects. Many anti-religion posts are neither.

Janus December 24, 2022 at 22:04 #766349
Quoting Benkei
Yes, exactly. And assumptions aren't proof so they don't work.


Right, no deductive argument is stronger than it's premises (assumptions); but I think it is likely that only those among the religious who don't understand that believe that the arguments for the existence of God constitute absolute proofs. The arguments can be thought to "work" without the requirement that they be absolute proofs; like any valid argument the requirement is that the conclusion follows from the premises.

Quoting T Clark
Yes. That was my point in the whole exchange - Now that we can block whole categories, anti-religious people can avoid the whole problem rather than whining and growling over religious threads.


Indeed! That said I find it hard to understand how they could not simply ignore anything they found distasteful or could find no interest in. When I look at the main page I see only what interests me, and the rest is a blur.
Benkei December 24, 2022 at 22:33 #766360
Quoting Janus
Right, no deductive argument is stronger than it's premises (assumptions); but I think it is likely that only those among the religious who don't understand that believe that the arguments for the existence of God constitute absolute proofs. The arguments can be thought to "work" without the requirement that they be absolute proofs; like any valid argument the requirement is that the conclusion follows from the premises.


God is a pathetically persistent fairy tale people keep wanting to rationalise and when it's pointed out it's all crap, because none of those arguments work, some complain about manners. I wasn't even talking to Clarky. If anybody would start a thread about proof that unicorns existed he'd be summarily banned for low quality. Such is the immersion in Christian culture we can't even admit it's crap and then I'm the one being "provocative" and "disrespectful" for pointing it out. It's so sad that it's funny again. Anything worthwhile that can be found in religion, is easily subsumed under ethics and metaphysics. Plenty of good thinkers wasted their lives working on Christian dogma and it has resulted in some decent insights.
unenlightened December 24, 2022 at 22:50 #766362
Reply to Benkei Thank you for sharing!
Janus December 24, 2022 at 22:54 #766363
Reply to Benkei Yes, it's crap in your opinion. but that is not controversial.
Benkei December 25, 2022 at 10:37 #766432
Reply to Janus It's proved crap when it logically doesn't stand up to scrutiny. Or are you now suggesting logical rules are also subjective?
Janus December 25, 2022 at 20:15 #766482
Reply to Benkei Logic is nothing more nor less than valid thinking, which is again nothing more than consistency; it says nothing about the content of thought, but merely codifies its forms.
Shawn December 25, 2022 at 20:44 #766485
@Benkei, but it's not nice to do so.
Metaphysician Undercover December 27, 2022 at 12:35 #766830
Quoting Hanover
Realizing that the logical proofs for the existence of God fail isn't bigotry. It's just true.

I saw them as a helpful way to learn the basic structure of syllogisms and to locate errors within them during my introductory philosophy classes, but if you walked away from that thinking God had been proven (or disproven) by the sheer force of logic alone, I think you missed something.


The real issue is where exactly does the failure lie. Is the failure in the deductive logic, or in the induction? So, the cosmological argument for example, all material things have a cause, a cause is prior in time to the effect, therefore the first material thing has a prior cause which cannot be a material thing, and this we call "God".

The only real failure here is in the inductive premises concerning the causation of material objects. But when inductive premises are seen to be deprived of certainty in this way, it casts doubt on all scientific knowledge.

Solution: place this thread into a blocked category and quickly forget about it.
T Clark December 27, 2022 at 14:57 #766844
Quoting Metaphysician Undercover
Solution: place this thread into a blocked category and quickly forget about it.


Your post is well-expressed, and I agree. If religious posts are put into Philosophy of Religion, then those who are offended by arguments for the existence of God can just block the whole category.
Banno December 27, 2022 at 19:56 #766905
Reply to Jamal

Curious, that your thread on a simple technical feature had been metamorphosed into a discussion of the arguments for the existence of god.

A sign of divergent and creative thinking or exemplary of a ubiquitous superficial preoccupation?
Jamal December 27, 2022 at 19:59 #766908
Quoting Banno
A sign of divergent and creative thinking or exemplary of a ubiquitous superficial preoccupation?


A bit of both, maybe?

Most importantly, it has allowed this notice to remain in or around the top of the main page, allowing all the active members to see it.
Banno December 27, 2022 at 20:01 #766909
Reply to Jamal Ah, giving them enough rope. Good answer.
unenlightened December 27, 2022 at 21:16 #766925
To save on rope in these hard times, may I suggest a pin?
T Clark December 28, 2022 at 00:36 #766970
Quoting Banno
Curious, that your thread on a simple technical feature had been metamorphosed into a discussion of the arguments for the existence of god.


It's more of an argument about whether religious people and their beliefs deserve to be treated evenhandedly on the forum. I think the new feature @Jamal has identified can grease the squeaky wheels on both sides in that regard.