As Bill Dembski noted here, I will be sharing the task of moderation with him.
Joining us will be Bill’s research assistant, Joel Borofsky, who can say a bit more about himself in his own posts.
Anyone wondering what sort of changes will ensue at UD should note that I am a journalist and my main interest is in promoting a responsible public discussion of ID.
I am not qualified to evaluate hypotheses in mathematics, biochemistry, or exobiology. But I am well qualified to study public issues and attempt to pull a discussion back from the abyss.
My approach will combine “editor of the Letters section” and “moderator of a discussion group.” In my experience, this approach best serves the needs of the blog visitor.
And after all, the visitor is the reason – and indeed the only justification – for the blog.
Blog policy, like gardening, is an ongoing work of art. But for now, the following ground rules will help commenters and visitors find the blog interesting and worthwhile:
1. This blog solicits and welcomes vigorous argument, backed by facts.
2. Here we critique the argument, not the person. Therefore, we don’t do personal abuse or cussing.
3. Abuse involving race, religion, social class, sexual preference, et cetera, is a banning offence. We judge people on the strength of their arguments, and expect the same treatment from others.
4. As a moderator, I blog on the site, and will therefore only occasionally comment in the Comments section, usually to remind posters of blog policy or redirect a discussion that has gone way off track. When I do, I will post my own comment.
5. In the unlikely event that things get hairy, we may have to close or remove the Comments section without notice. But if we all cooperate to further a lively and fruitful discussion, that won’t ever happen.
So, ladies and gentlemen, … start your engines!
Cheers, Denyse
P.S.: A bit more about me: I wrote an investigation into the intelligent design controversy (By Design or by Chance? (Augsburg 2004), after two and one half years of research. Essentially, I predicted in mid-2001 that the ID controversy would be very hot by mid-decade, and events seem to have borne that out. My own blog is the Post-Darwinist.