Is there a forum or subforum for long-form discussions which ideally avoid the nutty people who can't write a proper sentence or paragraph? I ask, because if not,then it would make a great place to ask certain kinds of questions, and provide well reasoned answers rather than paragraph long quips.

What's the purpose of this? You know full well that every forum is preferably that kind of forum. There obviously isn't a specific forum designed for ''normal conversation without nutty people''. What do you want to talk about? What science? Open a thread in the fitting forum.

The fact that there are some crackpots means absolutely nothing in regards to having healthy discussions. I've had great discussions here and some really bad ones. Good topics attract good posters; bad topics attract bad posters.

 

You will find that logically phrased technical content will bring the most normal and rational discussion aboard. That said, was there a particular point you were trying to make? Or are you just complaining?

Mathematical, I haven't been here for a terribly long time, but from what I've seen the moderators are excellent at shutting down the nutty stuff. They run a tight ship. And the user base is pretty attentive - if you ask a question and someone gives you a nutty reply, it's almost guaranteed that someone else will quickly step in.

 

This is the best forum I've ever been on in that regard.

 

Good topics attract good posters; bad topics attract bad posters.

 

I so..ooh wish that were true.

 

I so..ooh wish that were true.

 

It depends on what you consider good topics.

I consider topics with technical content without beating around the bush the best ones. Usually, only relevant and helpful stuff is posted. The mathematics section is a good example of good threads.

 

Aside from politics, religion, etc. the ones which tend to attract the ''bad'' posting are the sci-fi-ish ones like holographics universes, higher dimensions etc.

Don't forget free energy.