Reddit - The heart of the internet

Please read the sidebar and note that this subreddit is not for "free-form" news or random posts. Freethought is a specific concept. Users who repeatedly post random, off-topic stuff, especially with the intent of karma-farming or attacking moderation staff, will be sanctioned.

3. No strawmen or personal attacks

If your primary argument involves having to belittle your opponent, you are not adding anything of value to the conversation. Use of strawmen and sweeping generalizations as a means to avoid the substance of an argument are unwelcome. This also encompasses the "attack the messenger, ignore the message" tactic.

4. Proper use of up/down-voting

Please be aware that the up/down-vote buttons should be used for evaluating the substance of an argument moreso than whether or not you personally agree. One of the primary goals of r/Freethought is to have open discussion on controversial issues where science/evidence and popular opinion may not be in parallel.

5. Opinions are not relevant without details

Everybody has opinions. But we don't need to be told that you think post X is Y unless it's accompanied with substantive information, references and reasonable explanations.

Sometimes posts are made with such claims to encourage debate and discussion, but responses to shut down someone else's claim, with no additional evidence or references are even worse. So if you don't like something and can't explain in detail as to why we should care, don't post.

6. No Attacking the Messenger / Ignoring the message

Because you believe a source is "biased" is not a valid argument. This is a fallacy. The operative issue in r/Freethought is is the claim true?. What does the evidence say? Dismissing an argument because of the tone, source or manner in which the information is provided, while ignoring the actual details of the argument, is a violation of this sub's rules.

7. Refusing to acknowledge proven false claims

Commonly deployed as "circular arguments", or "bickering". When a person makes a statement, and that statement is proven false, continuing to argue as if the statement was not debunked, changing the subject, moving the goalpost, or otherwise creating a distraction and pretending the issue was not rationally addressed.

There is no point having a discussion with a person who has an immovable viewpoint; who makes statements but ignores cogent and thoughtful responses.

Muck Raking

Public ranting about/against mods, or proclaiming you feel a submission is inappropriate for r/Freethought, is off limits. Use the reporting function to report issues, or send ModMail. If you seek to rally people to grab their pitchforks and rebel against the sub or its admins, that's adding to the noise. You're free to create your own sub and rule it however you want, but you won't rule here. Thanks for your understanding and respect for the community we have built.

No promotion of blogs, sites or channels

This sub is not the place for you to promote your new Youtube channel or web site (also see Rule #6). Also, if you promote your site and you've never posted/participated in our community before, you will be instantly banned for spamming.

No Gender, Sexual Preference or Race-related intolerance/hate speech

This sub refuses to promote intolerant sweeping generalizations based on gender, sexual preference or race. Be very careful taking sides in these issues unless you're addressing a specific instance and issue. In other words: Nazi Punks/Misogynists/Misandrists/Homophobes Fuck Off.

No Astroturfing or Anti-Science Rhetoric

Astroturfing is using posts and comments to promote a particular site or political agenda, without any actual intent to debate or discuss. If you make a post that's not relevant to the topic of this sub, that promotes another site, or a particular controversial ideology that isn't centered around science, logic and reason, you're going to get banned. If your post history shows a consistent effort to spam certain topics over and over without engaging that community, you will be banned.

AI content is NOT evidentiary

The output from any Artificial Intelligence system is not consider adequate evidence, and any citations referenced in such output should be followed up on and cited separately to insure they are legit (and not nonexistent which has happened regularly). Attempts to cite AI as evidence is a bannable offense.

No bad faith debate

On any issue, each participant should be willing to have conditions upon which they will change their mind. If you come into this community and refuse to be open to being proven wrong, that's bad faith debate.

r/Freethought

Community highlights

Popular YouTube Channel, "Technology Connections" Does An Incredible Analysis and Expose on Solar Power Tech and Why It Is Truly "World Changing" - Which Also Illuminates Some Of Our Societies' Most Challenging Problems - A Must Watch - Especially The End.

1. No Trolling

2. Off-Topic Posts