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We have liberal policies about accepting questions (of any quality) ... but what about answers?

I noticed that Hugh was posting comments in this topic -- and I was wondering whether I can recommend posting that kind of comments, as a way to improve the quality of answers?

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I think they're good comments: and, I commend the desire or attempt to improve the quality of answers; and I wouldn't mind seeing more participation (from Hugh or others) like that.

Beware that sometimes comments can be done badly, for example:

  • "You're wrong!"
  • "Your whole school of Buddhism is wrong!"

Two of the things I like about these specific comments of Hugh's:

  • They're specific (about what's wrong) and prescriptive (about how to improve it)
  • They're posted to benefit the OP, to try to ensure that answers fully address the OP's question.

Apart from benefiting the OP, it's also proper to post a comment if you don't understand the answer:

  • "I didn't understand this bit of your answer, could you clarify that?"
  • "Could you post a reference, where I might read more about what you wrote?"

If you think that an answer should be better, it's also proper to try to a post a better answer.

The one slight criticism that I have of Hugh's comments is that they impute a motive, e.g.:

you care more about making sure that Buddhism is compatible with science instead of answering OP's doubts

I don't mind writing "you" conventionally, but I avoid writing "you" when I'm writing criticism.

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