Anthropologists, psychologists and communication scholars tended to elaborate that why social networks (weather it's an academic network or a dating website) are popular, and in fact threatening some people's real lives.

Since I happen to believe every user in RG is a real person (or at least seems that way) and usually they have true claims about themselves, the question is why shouldn't you have any sense of friendship with those whom you associate with, and usually get in discussion with on RG questions? You can read their publications, cite them, inquire about their expertise, and extend the cyber networking to a well-built professional relationship, and who knows, maybe personal friendships.

I do feel a sense of attachment to the RG community because of the willingness of members to share their expertise and research freely. As such, I do feel a sense of gratitude for their generosity. 

Many thanks,

Debra

Dear José Eduardo,

I've come more to trust on some members of RG, than in some of my university colleagues. The generosity is something special and unique en RG. I have received positive response to request for full text from Australia, Italy, Spain, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India ... This generosity is something very rare amongst my "real" colleagues, among them is first the competition, many times disloyal. I feel realy appreciation at some members of RG. That extends beyond the virtual world.

Regards, Luis

Social networking has radically changed human relations in that is has widened the modes and scopes of our relations vis-à-vis others. In other words, it is not possible to linearly compare face to face relations with social networking. We all have friends at different scales in each case.

Differently said, there is not a one-to-one relation between "real" face to face relations and social networking. I think we do benefit from both with differences.

Social networking helps very much to get to know persons with whom I can be close friends. I got some good friends through social networking and had chances of meeting some of them offline. They were just such persons that I supposed them to be from online communication.  This is considered to happen because of the fact that what one writes in the virtual community almost always reflects one's real personality correctly.

I think one does get to know more about people in RG. There are people who answer questions thoughtfully, some who take a humorous look at the question, many who are kind when others venture to write their thoughts. Once I participated in a Forum on Ojibwe language, and got friendly with a few people. Once when I was in his country to visit my kids, I went to his town and had dinner with him and his wife. I got to know them better and better, and met with them several times there and here.

I really enjoy the free interchange, and sometimes someone is actually helpful in answering a question I had. so

YES. In my opinion, I like some of the people on here better than some of the people here in my town. :-)

Dear José Eduardo Jorge,

Scholarly work can be quite a lonely pursuit, but having a network of like-minded researchers to interact with (exchange of ideas is affectual as well), and knowing that there are kindred spirits across the globe that can help you is indeed a great feeling. Yes I do feel for the people whom I interact with, because they, like me, may need a little encouragement along the long and windy road that leads to the truth they are seeking.

Someone told be the advantage of internet is that you can close the door. It's also a medium where routine can slip in. Many are looking at it from afar and see the movie passes by. Different characters react with a different imput.

RG is  important for me because for many th!ngs it's the only way to communicate and  it  gives inspiration for new ideas and projects. 

On RG there are verry nice people you don't meet in daily life.

Do you get to feel a sense of attachment for the people you meet in a virtual community such as RG? How do you explain it?

Yes, I don't feel conducting lonely research anymore & can feel the attachment with RG members as this RG community provides thoughts provoking & inspired sharing, unexpected Q&A, very useful articles & artifacts for research, networking & collaboration with researchers & scholars all over the world.

it helps and support being researcher in following ways;(1) get the articles to read (2) get the answers from different perspective of your complex questions (3) get ideas (4) share your knowledge with others (5) answer others questions...it is creating value to researchers.

Dear RG-ers,

RG is a social network, but not a technical one. It is not just a connection, but communication. People share not just researches, but  emotions, congratulations, and even personal stories.

It is less than a year since I joined RG. Have met lot of real people there (not just avatars): people who care!

Cheers,

N.F.

José asked: "Do you get to feel a sense of attachment for the people you meet in a virtual community such as RG? How do you explain it?"

Yes I do! George and Manuel and Tatsuo and Martha and Shian -Loong and Rita and Barbara and Han Ping and Rajeev expressed it exactly in my sense. I am quite new in RG and I spend a lot of time to work and communicate  with you all. I would not do that if there won´t be a very motivating feeling in your responses. Thank you José especially for this question!

Best regarda to all of you

Peter

Yes, we do get attached to people whom we either follow or who follow, you on websites like RG. We are quite eager to know, who are those whom we follow, what are their areas of expertise, their work, profile, institutions etc fascinate us a great deal, thus creating a sort of virtual bond.

I try to keep updated with the work and profile changes of my friends and do feel a sort of attachment with them.

We may meet friends directly, indirectly, or virtually --- we acknowledge, remember, and feel attached.

Yes, I do have a feel that I am attached to a people at RG community. Virtual friends are very important in our life and our research. I have even  nice friendship, the virtual one, with people who left RG. Such people are Lijo Francis, Patrick.... I have met some of my virtual friends face to face, as I do hope that such meeting will be more often in the near future.

Let me bring to your attention one fine thread about the value of virtual friendship for research!

https://www.researchgate.net/post/In_these_days_of_global_internet_what_is_the_value_of_a_virtual_friend_to_your_research

Yes, I do. And it makes sense because we are here for a reason.

If you don't want to believe, you will not believe. And if you do not have a right judgement about people - who is right, who is wrong, etc. - nothing will change this inability (online or offline), interpretation of data is a very different process from just having an access to data. 

Virtual communities and conversations could be even more important because we opt for the ones we care about, there is personal involvement and interest. If you compare them with meaningless (off topic) conversations in an office or any environment where we have to be having them regardless of our interests, it is only natural that serious people will prefer to have a choice (time is love and life is short).

Dear Jose Eduardo, Ljubomir and all, "a sense of attachment"?

Most certainly, I have found 3 collaborators, and I hope to have a 4th.  Certainly attached, our names are all found together, as in this paper: “Ljubomir Jacic, Nageswara Rao Posinasetti, Raoof Mostafazadeh, Lijo Francis, Patrick Low, Valentina Christova-Bagdassarian, Irina Pechonkina, and Mohammad Ayaz Ahmad”.  Do read it.  Thanks.

Article Motivation and Achievement of Malaysian Students in Studying...

I admire all my RG friends including my followers and whom I follow and I do sense a kind of attachment with them.

I enjoy the interaction in ResearchGate, but I must say that there are very few members who I have come to know very well.  Most are simple one-time interactions of people posing questions or providing answers and I never hear from them again.  

So, I feel attachment to RG as a whole, but I have not really formed significant interpersonal relationships as a result of RG, other than a handful of people who I feel that I know slightly.

Making a stronger connection would require a more open structure, such as a Linkedin or Facebook-style newsfeed, or some sort of messaging within interest groups, but I am not sure that these things would suit ResearchGate well.

Dear all,

It is true that virtual existence is completely different from real and live existence but what we observe here in RG is a definitive proof of the abilities and desires of humans to work and live together in a vibrant and harmonious ways without avoiding and disliking each other but instead seeking and wanting each other for better. The most and strongest  attachment is the one created with minds and thoughts which RG members are connected with and definitely we are strongly attached, feel that way and do that way. 

We communicate ideas passionately with a desire not simply to win or dictate a discussion but to forward what we think is reasonable and leave the truth to be the arbiter and judge except the unknown, irritant  down voters. This by itself is a developed sense of trust within members of RG and trust is one important ingredient in living and working together for better performances of purpose. Our virtual trust and closeness which are all of minds and ideas   can easily be transferable to reality out in to our social lives which societies should  emulate. 

Here, on RG, we have the possibility to share our research with others. People can follow a publication, read a publication by various ways, appear on the stats of other person, etc.

When we interact here on RG, it is not just a social interaction, but also a professional one. I have friends who satisfy many social needs, eating, chatting, helping in emergencies, etc, but few who will listen to an idea or an observation without falling asleep mentally.  For instance, if I introduce a topic of any detail pertaining to science in the presence of my "lunch group", they will say TMI (too much information) or roll their eyes.  Only one of my friends, a geneticist, is in that group and IS capable of taking a part in such a conversation.  Sometimes they will say, "a SCIENTIST can't appreciate the beauty of (something or other)."  Sometimes I want to say "ONLY a scientist can appreciate ,,," even though I don't really believe only a (substitute any occupation) can appreciate that topic.  I don't feel that social disapproval here.  There is always some thread or other going on that I feel good about participating in. 

Of course, we don't know MUCH about each other.  How do you know I am not a secret bank robber or some kind of sociopath?  You only know that I'm interested in a topic you're interested in.  You can then imagine all sorts of wonderful things about me or each other.  Or not care.  It is still wonderful to have other people who share some of your interests.

ps.  I'm not a secret bank robber and I don't THINK I'm a hidden sociopath...  :-)

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

We all feel a sort of attachment to our RG friends and followers, for example our dearest friend Prof.Mohamed El Naschie had been missing for more that 4-5 weeks for a sudden, about 8 Colleagues asked about him, First person was Prof. Ivo Carneiro de Sousa, he just put a question in Q & A, you can see the link ....

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_anyone_know_why_the_Egyptian_Engineering_scientist_and_Theoretical_Physicist_Prof_Mohamed_El_Naschie_has_suddenly_vanished_from_this_RG

 I suppose it also matters how one's network develops over time. For me it started with co-workers, co-authors and colleagues I already met in person. In this sense we have a virtual platform to be in touch with the latest  ideas of our colleagues we already know. Gradually the network grows and one meets many new interesting researchers. From this point of view, I suppose the question could be further refined - is the perception of work of colleagues one already knew, and the new additions to one's network, any different? How the previous familiarity with someone influences trustworthiness/attachment? How being part of a community like RG influences our perceptions?

... Not yet! ...

 Dear Josè Eduardo,

thank you for your valuable message. Empathy that I feel in it represents the condition of a possibility of sympathy and reciprocal comprehension in a community of researchers such as RG. Thus, each of us becomes a component of a group which exists even when it does not translate unto a real experience of a visual relation.

Best wishes, Gianrocco

It seems that, with very few exceptions, the overwhelming majority of those who interact here --myself included-- feel a sense of attachment with the people they meet. 

An interesting observation that arises from the answers is that these feelings do not depends on nonverbal behavior --which of course is absent here-- or mere information exchange. 

Apparently is the structure or dynamics of online conversation what has the ability to transmit attitudes and reflect qualities of people --for example, their "generosity" .

I think I sometimes do, but I take care that there is no personal risk of any loss is there

Narayanan

Yes, I think that the sense of comradeship comes when you find out that someone is interested in the same topic as you.   This deepens the bond among "in-person" friendships - the other person validates your interest .....

I agree with you.  It always seems to strengthen the bond when someone even just shares some of your interests.  Maybe especially when they agree with you. :-)

Dear Prof. Diez-Pastor:

Yes, I agree with your idea that the content has an important influence. What I say is that, according to a number of answers, our perceptions of the attitudes or personal qualities of the other people doesn't seem to come just from the content or information, but from the structure or dynamic of the exchange. For example, we ask for something and the other responds with "generosity".  I think the rules of etiquette --being kind, not aggressive-- may also be relevant.

Dear Martha:

I agree. The sense of sharing --interests, values, etc-- leads naturally to trust the others to a lesser o greater extent. 

I don't do the conventional social media (cannot be bothered) but for years I have had energetic and long-lasting email exchanges, sometimes with people I have never met in the flesh. Researchgate has widened this circle of virtual friends, and although I guess we can all be conned, I sense some very congenial people with whom it it is fun and rewarding to exchange comments on questions. But  for me the big advantage is that  both RG and email let me maintain connections with people who I can only meet rarely. It is the combination that deepens and maintains personal and professional links.

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

Please, see ...

Dear Prof Tahir,

please write to me Or communicate regarding collaborative projects in..in the fields of Biotechnology / Phyto-Pharmacology / Toxicology / Histopathology /Biofuels /bioremediation /sustainable technology/ commercial exploration of recycled energy ..………Identification and validation of selective herbal metabolites as a new therapeutic target on AchE enzyme inhibitions in Alzheimer's disorders / LRRK2 – for Parkinson’s/ Role of HSP and Tyrosinase inhibitions

RG is a unique platform to share thoughts and exchange ideas and sometimes spell out emotions also.

It is also a mode of distant learning.

Most of us are very attached to ResearchGate community, so we are in touch through our rich and long discussions under different questions. RG community serves as a scientific family. Each family has its own problems also. It is nice to be here.

My experience in Research Gate is very positive. From this page I am obtained help when I needed, since a reference, a file, a suggestion, including propositions of collaboration. I profit this occasion to grateful all the people who has expend part of his time in answering my questions and reading my articles, and please, in this special times I want to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the Research Gate community. Thanks, thanks a lot for your generosity and solidarity. God bless you.

I found answers to my problems during research . also could download many papers ,network with colleagues and participate in discussions

Jose,

I think the bonding on research Gate is due to people with research and writing interests. Scholars can feel alone as much of their work requires solitude. Research Gate allows scholars to exchange ideas with other scholars worldwide.

From Prof. Arturo Rivera, Universidad Especializada de las Américas, Santiago de Veraguas (Panamá): 

"Estimado Jose Eduardo a mi personal mente me ha servido con colegas ya que me permite compartir experiencias de investigacioes de documentos de revistas que otros colegan requieren y me hace sentir que estoy apoyando el desarrollo de la humanidad porque otras personas en cualquier parte del mundo puede hacer ciencia y revisión epistemológica de la ciencia sin tanto protocolo ni permiso simplemente acceder en un mundo donde el conocimiento se irradia en segundos."

From Prof. Parida Aditya, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå (Sweden):

"The bonding and attachment is due to common interest in research and publishing paper, besides mutual appreciations for a WIN-WIN situation."

Lawrence,

You are a true scholar living in a world where many people do not appreciate scholarship. you feel a sense of attachment to the people on RG because they remind you of you on a very deep level.

Do you get to feel a sense of attachment for the people you meet in a virtual community such as RG? How do you explain it?

Yes, I can feel the sense of attachment for some RG members in the virtual community because RG is still an open system even though it is in virtual mode.  Through open system we can interact among each others through the values exchanged.  I can find certain esprit de corps among RG members.  Evidence of sense of attachment can be felt when some RG members exited the RG or when some RG members inactive for a long time - you can see other RG members start asking their where about, their latest happening, kind words, words of well wishes, sense of disappointment etc.

I feel a sense of attachment with people acquainted at RG. Since, a feeling of closeness between people comes from effective communication and RG provides a platform for such communications and I think it is a sufficient condition for raising in a person, a sense of attachment with other people. In fact the very sense of attachment is something which makes me visit  RG from time to time. 

Yes, I do. But most especially to those who are more supportive than proud, to those who verbalize criticism but does not down vote; to those who are here in RG more to help than to reject. Thank you colleagues and I am glad to be with you, even just virtually.

Yes, we get attached, RG is also a community which can understand the problems of research scholar and provide solutions.I am glad to be a member of this community.

Surely I  do feel them like a family , you get to learn so much and so deep from each other,  sitting at place and get connected throughout the world , which is the better platform than RG to facilitate such a knowledge=based interaction on any  affair. Hats off RG , LONG LIVE RG 

Dear José Eduardo.

I think together we have built a society based on the comparison, in hypocrisy, not to say what they really think for fear of retaliation, to pretend for a living. In a virtual community, you start the relationship with the other from invisibility, and I think that helps us to be more authentic, and therefore the bonds are too. At bottom, what we all want is respect and good debates and RG, at least in my experience, they seem to be insured.

Thank you for inviting me to answer this question.

Regards.

Dear colleague Montserrat Hernández-López,

I have read you opinion, and for me it is spectacular opinion, with reality on 100 %, yes, yes, and I thing as you too, together we have a society based on the comparison, in hypocrisy, not to say what we really think for fear of retaliation, to pretend for a living. In a virtual community, we start the relationship with the other from invisibility, and I think that helps us to be more authentic, and therefore the bonds are too. At bottom, what we all want is respect and good debates and RG, at least in my experience, they seem to be insured.

At the same time I have read all of opinions ...

Have a nice time, and I will all the best, dear our colleague Montserrat Hernández-López!

Thank you for inviting me to answer this question, Dear José Eduardo!

Sincerely,

Thank you very much for your words, Bashkim Mal.

When I add an answer, I try to strip me of everything I do not like myself, to achieve at least this small gesture, contribute to the society in which you want to live.

You've made my day shine a bit more.

Best regards.

Dear José Eduardo,

before I have written ... not yet ... but the opinion of our colleague Montserrat Hernández-López was the person that I have thought to write again .... , and concretely I am writing again:

"Dear colleague Montserrat Hernández-López,

I have read you opinion, and for me it is spectacular opinion, with reality on 100 %, yes, yes, it is true, so I thing as you too, together we have a society based on the comparison, in hypocrisy, not to say what we really think for fear of retaliation, to pretend for a living. In a virtual community, yes, we start the relationship with the each other from invisibility, and I think that helps us to be more authentic, and therefore the bonds are too. Maybe, anyone of us fall in love or to hate one another the while adding opinions, but we must remain calm and with high respect for each other ... At bottom, what we all want is respect and good debates and RG, at least and in my experience, they seem to be insured".

Dear colleague Montserrat Hernández-López,

I thank you very much to you too for nice answer given to me!

At the same time I have read all of opinions ..., I am agree with them ... I have upvoted all of them, because all of them are written with atention and reality from all of you ...

Have a nice time, and I wish all the best, dear our colleague Montserrat Hernández-López and all of you that are included in this debate and to others and others in near future!

Thank you again for inviting me to answer this question, dear José Eduardo!

I am very happy that I am member of RG community, as you, I have gotten, get and will get your helps and cooperations and at the same time, based in my experience, culture and eduction I try give somthing to you from my part as to me!

Sincerely,

 Welcome to the new Members of RG. As a senior, I'll certainly be of any help, if needed.

Best wishes, Gianrocco

I feel that the relationships with friends that began with exchange of views or series of comments on RG has flourish into treasured bonding same as that of real-world ties. 

As earlier mention ,RG is the gateway of knowledge & in one of my feelings for RG gateway regarding the inclination for celebrating World RG ,i have express my sentiment under the positive feelings .

We all are sensitive members of RG & as a matter of curses even if do not know the member which his standing & in our formal introduction if we find that he is a member of RG group .Our feelings co-relates with our everyday environment with our research group & feelings even for unknown members comes at a glance with a smiling attitude joining with warm shake hand.

Attachment with any known person directly or indirectly with his contribution ,as a saint of our feelings & attachment come to us from the within.

This is my personal opinion 

From Prof. Reeta Dar, Indian Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delh (India):

"Researchgate – RG is every researcher’s mother. I literally feel greatly attached with RG like my own family. It is a global family for me. It has been serving as morale booster for me when I feel low and see myself not moving ahead. I am only six months old on RG and it has become a family for me now for last 6 months. Family gives happiness and RG is no exception to it. It brings happiness to my face every time I saw new reads and come to know which researcher has read my paper, which university and which country. RG is like a mother to me who would tell me to request people for articles, re-request the people, say thanks etc. At times family brings tears in your eyes and RG is no exception to that also. It brought tears in my eyes when my RG Scores go down. I was talking to my husband the other day and discussed about how RG teaches me etiquettes and shows great concern to me as a researcher just like guides. I meet people as guides, sisters and friends by sharing messages through RG. I have started loving it the way I love my mother. My own mother cannot help me in research but RG is continuously doing that as a researcher’s mother. It is also like a personal assistant to my work. I have fallen in love with it the way the way I would have loved my best supporter. I am continuously groomed in a world of research community. I met a number of nice people who would send me the articles and tell me not to feel hesitant to keep in touch. LOVE YOU FRIENDS OF RESEARCH GATE AND MY VERY ESTEEMED FOLLOWERS. I shall definitely document this in my research report."

From Dr. Tajudeen Abdul Hameed, DGT HEALTHMATRIX SDN BHD · ENERGY (Malaysia · Putrajaya): 

"Dear Sir, ---- you are right --- we do feel the sense of attachment in this virtual world with the RG members ---- because ----- it is the BASIC INSTINCT OF HUMAN ----- to get involved when ANYTHING IS SHARED and here in RG we share the most invaluable thing ---- and that is KNOWLEDGE ---- when such great element called knowledge is shared without hesitation and frankness to provide the knowledge and help by sharing knowledge is the highest devoted respect any body earns in our human tradition which is HONOUR ---- and in short I shall say every member of RG are HONOURABLE people for their part of knowledge given and shared and taken. Thanks."

From Prof. Francesco Nardelli, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland (Switzerland):

"Yes indeed.  We are a social species by nature hence, under normal psychological and characterful circumstances, our tendency is to have friendly relationships with other humans and other living beings. Unfortunately over population is resulting in aberrant behaviors. We ought to deal with overpopulation main problem sooner rather than lather. Communicating via messages, images, drawings, etc. make us more at easy for lack of external pressure. Vice versa the more crowded is the environment where we meet each other, the more individuals tend to isolation, self protection and avoid communication with strangers."

BIG thanks to the foundation an maintaining personallyts of RG,for "thad" development I feel good , secure , makes me a sense of belonging, a sunrise within million of possibility 

The attachment into various virtual communities, I think is a kind of remedy for the loneliness of contemporary human!

The difference between acquaintence and friendship is the attachment you mention. People select others to feel attachment to, from family and those they 'meet' according to perceived similarities in ideas and beliefs. The only factors that have changed over time are the definition of 'meet', with virtual meeting now possible, and the concomittant increase of meetings. So:

Nothing has changed really except the number of people we have access to meeting. We feel attched to whomever we meet who appears to have similar ideas, ideals and beliefs.

Other questions, such as WHY we feel attachments like this are also interesting. Probably something to do with family and pack from an evolutionary perspective.

I never engaged into a online community before discovering RG.  I am on the internet since the 1980's much before the web but it was only as a source of information never of interaction with other people.  I was really not attracted by chatting  where most participants hide behing  icons and discuss at the level of kindergarten.  What attracted me to RG community was the organisation of dialog around topics of interest and the fact that we speak with people not hiding behind icon (except for the downvoter).  At first I was very surprised by how polite and friendly people were.  But it is the diversity of people that was attractive, a world wide community.  I should say almost worlwide because there are not  many people for the African continent or from mainland China or from poor communities.  I really appreciate the coming together foster by friendly dialog towards common interests.

Regards

Dear all,

In my opinion, we should not utterly trust in members of every cyberspace because there are numerous kind of people in online groups. On the other hand, Dr. Pierlorenzo Brignoli mentioned, RG is not a social network like the others, it is something exclusive. We all have the same interests for discovery and research, although in different fields, so there is a basic affinity. I believe one of the most prolific gateways of knowledge is RG. I am learning a lot of things from some contributors that never crossed my mind. At the end I should say thanks you Dr. José Eduardo Jorge for sharing your expedient question.

Best regards,

S. Mehdi Mohammadizadeh

It is human to get attached to people whom we either follow, meet (virtually), interact, appreciate and argue on virtual space or in real! let us be thankful for RG!!

regards

Rathish

Strongly enough. Some kind of puppet or tyro or etheric-sort of body in other realms. As I am talking to you now Irina, I feel you are here with me in conversation sort of. All RG members are in a kind of "Helmoltz Resonator" kind of a room, but with a neck (opening).

FRIENDSHIP IS LIKE A TRAIN.... ON SOCIAL NETWORKS? IN REAL LIFE? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WHO IS A FRIEND ?

"Is it true, as some people say ironically that "Friendship is like a train. One goes, another one comes " ? Or...isn't it ? How much does it matter to you ?...

"FRIENDSHIP means understanding, NOT agreement. It means forgiveness, not forgetting. It means the memories last, even if contacts is lost "...

Friendships on LinkedIn and other social networks can be and often are as true as real life friendships. But often are not. Often we are manipulated or manipulate ourselves by letting our Imagination loose !...

But be confident. Real friendships quite often start on social networks."

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140719153225-217942005-friendship-is-like-a-train-on-social-networks-in-real-life-what-do-you-think?trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A577811291454779709792%2CVSRPtargetId%3A5896241270099050496%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary&trk=vsrp_influencer_content_res_name

Friendship without selfishness for the only purpose of contribution is FRIENDSHIP. Chain or train or real life or any other dictionary meanings have no meanings

I love all people, whom I communicate with.It doesn't matter,if they are in the virtual or real life.I used to respect the views of others and to find beauty in every personality.RG is the constellation of brightest personalities,that's why it's interesting to learn there,to exchange of views,to read a lot of advanced articles,to get acquainted with a lot of extremely interesting materials on different cultures and fields.Dear Jose,thank you for your kind question.A lot of thanks to All!

Irina, Ljubomir,

I feel as if I have met you in person.  You both always say thoughtful things which show how kind your hearts are.  In fact there are many wonderful people on RG, only in this instance, you two are right on the page in front of me.  I think I said this earlier in the chain, it is nice to have polite friendly conversations but the icing on the RG cake is that many of the people who are answering sound as if they are truly interested in your ideas and the things you are interested in.  This means that I appreciate some of you MORE than some of the people I know in real life (ha ha - this IS the real life) because often if you mention some of your real interests, the others just wait till you are finished and go on with their conversation.

Good wishes to all the people who are not only friendly but also thinking people, and those who are not only great in their fields but never act as if they look down upon your own modest contributions! 

It always seems to strengthen the bond when someone even just shares some of your interests.

 Dear All,

Few days ago, I sent my  welcome to the new Members of RG. I said that as a senior, I'll certainly be of any help, if needed. Now, I take this opportunity in relation to what I have been reading recently on the quality of some questions, ‘classified as ‘lazy’ instead of asking advice for solving problems.

Here are some reflections which I would like to share with you.

If I wanted to find a synthesis of thought expressed by some members of our Social Research Network, I would remain somewhat let down. In my opinion have emerged -  not for disparaging tout court purposes -  signs of weaknesses and superficiality, while positive values of the behavior of the majority of our colleagues in the research seem overshadowed.

If this is true, let me voice some considerations whose aim is only to help - together with all of you – in defining the ‘conduct’ of our work. In fact, I feel a spirit of sincere belonging that inspired to ask for your judgment on what I will say.

I believe that the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was wright when, in the New Heloise, wrote: "The art of questioning is not as easy as you think. It is more art by masters than disciples: you must have already learned a lot to be able to ask what you do not know".

Those who genuinely do research need not to confirm this at every turn; creativity has not "paths" already known, but is prepared to in-depth investigation, to the singularity of the analysis, even to the humility of starting again if the ‘path is wrong’. It is not playing a fashion, but it is taking a risk, a continuous wondering, a responsible and rigorous commitment.

What is comprehensible is drawn from a reality immensely rich, varied and complex. Intelligence grabs always only a part by increasing the accessible notions, abstract and their connections. Popper has shown how this activity: long, uncertain, difficult, strewn with errors of any kind can never cease, nor reach final results, because both the real issues to be investigated as the outlook for investigating are inexhaustible.

Human intelligence knows that: 1) something exists, it can be known and must be recognized; 2) something always goes beyond the knowledge already acquired and demands continuous research.

Dropped the untenable claim to know the whole reality through an organic accumulation process, orderly and progressive of knowledge, some argue the absolute inability of the human mind and science to reach any understanding, reality, truth. Beyond these excesses, science expresses the noblest aspiration of man: to discover and understand the world around and above us, building with the power and courage of intellect the tools to learn about the vast unknown, always more aware of the inadequacy of the efforts, the infinity of desires and the scarcity of achievements.

Every human being has a unifying consciousness and therefore any research on life and on the relationship with the Universe demands a harmonious plurality of routes and outcomes that are intertwined in the uniqueness of the person. Human knowledge is not monophonic, i.e. only rational and formal, but also symbolic-affective.

For Kuhn the fruitfulness of research lies in the effort to eliminate the contradictions consequent to its forcing reality into rigid categories of its paradigms. The scientific communities that have developed a paradigm just try to solve the problems that this meets and find all other problems "unscientific", "metaphysical" or even "trivial". At best they consider them too difficult or complex to devote attention being also receptacles of disorder to be disclaimed, or minimize any data that do not fit with their paradigm. But sooner or later, the difficulties and the insoluble problems call into question the paradigm itself.

Epistemology and history of science underline that scientific knowledge was never cumulative and organic. Also criteria of  ‘scientificity’ and rigor appear relative and analogical to adapt to different disciplines, according to times and situations. The discovery of these aspects is very useful to see the increasingly scientific knowledge as the ability to formulate new: a) research perspectives, perfectible and fallible but not arbitrary; b) structures, laws and contents whose meaning transcends its interpretive skills; c) meta-scientific questions and problems that stimulate and challenge each others knowledge. This last point is of the utmost cultural importance. The cultural value of scientific knowledge must be sought, not in the answers, partial and provisional, of research, but in the questions, inexhaustible and ever new.

This demand of turning into a problem each acquisition requirement is important because it approaches science to metaphysics. However, the two problem areas remain different. Science considers the partial and immediate aspects, metaphysics those totals and last. In other words, metaphysics totally turns everything into a problem including itself, having all the means to do so.

The problems that our research network has tackled show that the relations of scientific knowledge and theories with reality will never be definitively resolved, but will remain open to more insights and reflections. It is the complexity of the issue now clear. Scientific theories are not reducible to pure mental exercises or structures with no relations with reality.

Metaphorically, the scientist, brave and at the same time apprehensive at the entrance of the 'dark cave’ looks at its depths, attracted by the desire to know and at the same time restrained by fear of the unknown.

 Fruitful work,

Gianrocco.

Dear Iolanda-Gabriela,

This situation is very well discussed in the book Sapiens of Yuval Noah Harari.

Your observation is true and it is explained by the following.

-The human being evolved with its life based on a family inside a community where each one knew the other.

-In most cases this is not true any more. Then, we try to compensate what we lost by creating and belonging to groups that resemble our family and community ties.

I feel excited anytime i get to interact with RG member

Dear @Martha, thanks for very kind words. I do also share your feelings.

Dear Adeola,dear Martha,dear All,

Thank you for all.RG is a real friendly platform for human contacts,live communication, and human expertise.It's a greatest honour to be a part of the democratic community,which is a prototype of the ideal society.We are not divided by borders and space,we are a team,a community, a family. 

Wow, thanks to everyone who enjoys the RG interaction as much as I do.  I never thought RG could be as rewarding as it has become.  The easy way people greet each other and the clarity with which they add suggestions is very .  I wish we had had RG back when I was busily writing my first maths papers. Sometimes the referee could be very hard on a young researcher trying to get onto her feet..  Especially when a member of a department was the only one doing semigroups.  Our College couldn't afford to have a critical mass of fellow researchers.  Anyway, I'm glad I've lived long enough to find this interaction.  :-)

 Dear José, dear all !!!

I feel proud and fortunate to be able to share your views, and to feel such strong emotional link to you all. 

A real strong emotional link to virtual people, that I slowly have integrated as part of my family.

Even if you consider this a virtual different world, I find it comfortable and reassuring to have this daily basis contact with the rest of the World, and this internet communication comes straight from our deepest intimacy, exactly because it does not imply physical interaction. Ours are more honest and simpler emotional interactions. 

A special sort of communication, a special sort of emotional link.

I am fortunate and I am proud to belong.

Thank you all, dear sirs and ladies ! (Warm regards from Portugal!)

I thrive in conversation and debate. That's why I am a Facebook fan and now a RG fan. I already know the dominant personality traits of my fellow researcher here, and I follow them with delight. I enjoy people's almost spontaneous answers to some quite wild questions, and appreciate the generosity of all I have had the pleasure to meet. I was not aware that it would be so rewarding reading so many interesting comments. I even like the comments I hate. That's good.

Lilliana

In RG, I think it makes a lot of sense when people feel connected: we help each other by answering questions, we seek for respondence by posting our own questions and we feel thankful for receiving replies that enlighten us. Therefore a certain attachment between members is developed that might persist for a long time.

Dear José, 

Yes, this feeling is normal for positive interaction between people, even in the virtual community. We tend to resonate on the same frequencies, and physical interactions are not sufficient to explain phenomena ….

RG while supporting the teaching and research community extremely well has also gradually enveloped into the some sort of common interest networking. Knowing persons of similar interest helps us to know with whom to interact and become friends. We get some good friends through this sort of networking and get opportunity of meeting some of them later. All these possible because what one writes in the virtual community normally reflects one's real personality. Once this bonding is developed, you feel attached with the person. The RG virtual community is growing well to create such bonding and doing a great job !!

مقالات چاپ شده می خواهم درباره کتاب خودخوان و محتواسازی برای دانشگاه کتاب محور و محتوا محور مثل دانشگاه پیام نور؟؟؟؟