In a message dated 3/6/2007 8:25:31 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, cunctator@gmail.com writes:
Frankly, I think one of the benefits of Wikipedia is that it forces people to become disabused of Arguments by Authority, to force people to engage in critical thinking, etc.
Why? Because it doesn't rely on the lazy trappings of credentials and curricula vitae and titles and celebrity endorsement, etc.
Any credentialling system can be gamed. So why encourage people to have a false sense of security about something that isn't really needed for the goals of the project?
I disagree. People do not use critical thinking in their ignoring authority, and it's not just credentials, it's making a joke out of something serious with pseudonyms or using systemic ad hominems such as WP:DICK, not to mention the unfair application of standards.
Vincent <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.