(Up to: On APLAWS AConstructive Argument Server )

In any conversation (or associated bits of information), there is a path that is followed. A conversation can be seen as a series of opinions (ok, facts too, if you want to separate them from opinion) that follow from one another in order to persuade, dissuade, support or question each other. This is the joy of conversation - the relationship between each point made, and the way in which the current focus bounds from one to the next, so that within a short space of time, one can be talking about something completely unrelated to the topic a few minutes ago, without having made any large, inconsistent jumps in subject matter at any one point.

Wittgenstein and Goffman apparently explore the idea of interaction as a series of moves, much like a game of chess is constructed of a series of moves. Each of these 'moves' then is a situational construct, a piece of 'knowledge' that is appropriate within the current confines of the conversation. These moves, in this sense, correspond to elements of a "flow", such that they must follow on from the entire history of the conversation (or game) until that point, and lead on to/influence the whole future of the conversation.

A near-explicit example of this might be ad-libbed comedy sketches. An aim - laughter - is clearly established as a fundamental foundation of the conversation-game, and to that end, comedians will try to establish a "flow" by feeding each other lines and opening up the possibilities to obtain that humour - even though no pre-planned flow exists. The expectations of comedy here mirror the expectations of social interaction inherent to conversations, with certain moves liked/disliked, or even expected.

See also Ideas For EMail Client Integration and AConversation Server, as the way we view and participate in discussion in an on-line world is rather relevant to the structure of a discussion.

Also see Phil's Typed Threaded Discussion for a formal way of establishing this flow at time of writing, rather than reading.

(Wittgenstein reference: 1958, Philosophical Investigations. Goffman reference: 1981, Replies and Responses.)

New thought: Trolling Myself

(See also: Logs Of Text On Bul BAnd Visual Forums Ideas For AComment System )