If something I've written here offends you, I hope you take the time to actually pinpoint what I wrote that offended you, and let me know. It wasn't intentional, I assure you: I am against your opinion because I believe they are based on faulty logic or assumptions and lead to less than desirable consequences in the field of science. I am NOT against you personally. If I didn't care about what you write here, I'd simply ignore you.
Even though I agree with your arguments you need to make your tone less confrontational so it would look more like a discussion of a grown-ups
It may be impossible for me. I am still trying to learn to do better on this front, but...
I'd rather discuss with people who are able to handle that kind of confrontation, including others confronting myself if they believe it is warranted, because that (expressing emotion when important) increases the information bandwidth. Focusing on what a discussion "looks" like is too shallow for me; formality and formalism is just a tool for me, not a goal or value in itself. Content is key; appearance is secondary. Linear languages like written English are hard enough as is.
Put simply, I believe it is sometimes important to change the tone, when others do not seem to understand the importance or weight on facets of the issue at hand. Even anger and swear-words can sometimes be warranted. When accidental, for example when someone else feels slighted, it helps realize the miscommunication, and hopefully correct it.
Also, this forum has a facility to ignore posts by members whose output irks you. You can find it in
Profile >
Account Settings, then
Modify Profile >
Buddies/Ignore list... >
Edit Ignore List. I use this to hide posts by members who I am unable to interact with in a mutually beneficial manner. Personally, even when in the midst of a heated debate with someone, I do prefer to try and help them in a different thread (completely ignoring the debate in another if possible. This is because like Dave, I too believe that even if someone has some silly ideas or misconceptions in some specific area, doesn't mean one should excise them from ones life completely. So, I tend to clear out my own ignore list every month or two, and see if my own attitude has changed.
In the case of my output irking/annoying/seeming too unprofessional to others, I do hope they use that mechanism, instead of reducing their participation here.