debate

[Chris Cleirigh]

The mass-debates on this list are valuable for many reasons.

For example, as well as finding out what people know,
you find out what they don't know.

You can also study the exchanges in terms of primate dominance hierarchies.
The strategies of the young and the old can be compared, as can those of
low and high ranks.

Even though the most frequent tactic appears to be attacking ones own
misunderstanding of another's position, the texts are information-rich
for anyone interested in language.

Chris