fdKen As a relatively new member of HC (hence my Green... User Name) I'll have to say I've been both surprised and pretty disappointed by the standard of discussion on many of the threads including those on science-based issues. A lot of posts are laced with racist, sexist and politically extremist content mixed with plenty of nasty, personal insults. While recognising the need for 'a place to be heard' many of the threads don't therefore get far in exploring the topic. Complex issues are often treated in a very simplistic manner.
Your encouragement for a more rigorous scientific approach could be a positive step towards more productive discussions.
Having spent a lot of time recently looking at threads on the Political forums and Science threads, however, it's hard to be confident!
Whilst we don't, in my opinion, want posts to look like scientific papers it would help if sources were identiied as the posting guidelines specify. On threads discussing Global Warming, Covid-19 treaments & Vaccination, for example, sources are regularly not identified. It's not uncommon on such threads, when the source is found, that it doesn't actually say what the poster claims it says.
Good Luck in encouraging a more scientific approach. In the mean time, I guess, all we can do is keep our own posts as objective and clear as possible
