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1
oh how did this get here i am not good with computer
2 comments - 466 thread views 1yr ago by Devon (text post)

Optional if you have a link or image.

2
Some potentialy naught strings
3 comments - 786 thread views 1yr ago by dukeleto (github.com)

Problem

Innocuous strings which may be blocked by profanity filters (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem)

Scunthorpe General Hospital

Penistone Community Church

Lightwater Country Park

Jimmy Clitheroe

Horniman Museum

shitake mushrooms

RomansInSussex.co.uk

http://www.cum.qc.ca/

Craig Cockburn, Software Specialist

Linda Callahan

Dr. Herman I. Libshitz

magna cum laude

Super Bowl XXX

medieval erection of parapets

evaluate

mocha

expression

Arsenal canal

classic

Tyson Gay

Dick Van Dyke

basement

5
The vexing question of our times.
5 comments - 557 thread views 1yr ago by antidisestablishment (text post)

2022, post-covid, is truly a time for reflection.

But I think we’ve been dodging the true question of our times.

Who, in the modern era, is the true model of the modern major general?

Look at the current list in the US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_duty_United_States_Army_major_generals

Do they know the kings of England? Can they quote the fights historical? The state of STEM education these days is poor.

Do you really believe that they know information vegetable, animal, and mineral?

Can you imagine them talking about equations either simple or quadratic? Don’t even get me started on cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.

In summary I think the true model of the modern major general, is you, themotte user.

2
Let's discuss the best text editors
7 comments - 527 thread views 1yr ago by JulianRota (text post) Edited 1yr ago

What's your favorite text editor?

2
Circular reasoning
3 comments - 542 thread views 1yr ago by TonyZa (text post)

What is the purpose of the motte in the age of artillery?

5
Test post, definitely do not ignore
4 comments - 652 thread views 1yr ago by ZorbaTHut (text post) Edited 1yr ago

According to all known laws

of aviation,

there is no way a bee

should be able to fly.

Its wings are too small to get

its fat little body off the ground.

The bee, of course, flies anyway

because bees don't care

what humans think is impossible.

What is this place?

This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.


Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.


New post guidelines

If you're posting something that isn't related to the culture war, we encourage you to post a thread for it. A submission statement is highly appreciated, but isn't necessary for text posts or links to largely-text posts such as blogs or news articles; if we're unsure of the value of your post, we might remove it until you add a submission statement. A submission statement is required for non-text sources (videos, podcasts, images).

Culture war posts go in the culture war thread; all links must either include a submission statement or significant commentary. Bare links without those will be removed.

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