It is ostensibly to be used to indicate what you (like, who cares what you think about someone elses post, really?! Who the hell are 'you'?) think to be a well thought out and expressed post, or a particularly poor one; off topic, fallacious, unphilosophic.
Naivete' thinks that this is what will happen.
What really happens is;
The immature also use it to flip the bird at what disturbs them (who bruises an ego, for instance).
People use it to agree with who agrees with them.
It is an unphilosophical thing to do, especially as it appeals to the fallacy ad populum! So what if I have 100 thumbs up, I could well be full of ****!
If it doesn't intend toward the aforementioned fallacy, what is the point?

There is no argument here, I have nothing to defend.
These are the thoughts and feelings that I perceive on the matter.
I have seen this sort of fallacious juvenile crap on many other sites and they unanimously play to the lowest common (and I enphasize 'common') denominator.
Stupid fallacious juvenile game unworthy of a philosophy site.
Philosophy = critical thought.
Well, there ya' go.
peace

Why are you interested in evaluating the behavior of those you construe to be "immature" and "juvenile"?

Why not just ignore them?

Of course you could ask me the same question, right? ; o )

neither/nor wrote:
Why are you interested in evaluating the behavior of those you construe to be "immature" and "juvenile"?
That isn't an 'evaluation', it is an observation. I calls em as I sees em.

Why not just ignore them?
Beacuse they leave their little 'puppy piles' on my lawn.
If someone needs to share their opinions of other posters, keep it in their profile so those who 'need' that sort of thing (usually, 'personalities' are of greater importance to the immature) can visit their own backyard, and keep the 'piles' at home.

One can easily see the 'karma' as an indication of one's integrity and 'points' driven home through fragile egos, or, perhaps, a$$ki$$ing ability.

The karma function ostensibly isn't for lauding philosophical merit. It's far more useful for lauding good, temperate conduct on the forum.

If you suspect it's being abused, seriously, just ignore it then. It's just an irrelevant little number on the top of every post.

<strong>Zero wrote:</strong>
The karma function ostensibly isn't for lauding philosophical merit. It's far more useful for lauding good, temperate conduct on the forum.

If you suspect it's being abused, seriously, just ignore it then. It's just an irrelevant little number on the top of every post.
I have said all that I had to say on the subject. I 'intend' to ignore it. It is a tiny thing, but on a philosophy site, what I said needed to be said.

Ironic that that idiot button works while most of the site's functions necessary to a cogent response do not. Oh well, irony is the spice of life.
peace
nameless out