Message: 4
Date: Sat, 11 Sep 2004 16:31:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: Robert <rkscience100(a)yahoo.com>
Again, I think we're looking at a fundamental misunderstanding here:
I DID NOT and I am not trying to ''exclude'' academics. We need
academics. The higher qualified the better. The more of them choose to
join our review club the better.
("review club" proposed here:
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/
030521.html)
Nobody (not me, anyway) has been, or is contesting that academic
individuals, their knowledge and the academic education system have
real usefulness. Again, the more academics join us, the better. The
only thing I am lobbying you all against is that we (a) make degrees a
requirement of some sort at any stage in the process and/or (b)
automatically value input from an academic more than input from a
non-academic. I still think it is obvious (to me anyway) that ''most''
of the time academics will prevail with their views.
''But they will do so '''based on the merit of what they say''
and NOT
based on the recognition of their title.''
Currently, no contributor is allowed to argue: "But I am a senior
professor of quantum dynamics, so I win and you shut up!" It is VERY
important that this remains so. Yes, there should be academics in the
review club, and no, they should not ever even mention their titles.
'''They should converse as EQUALS with all other fellow
reviewers.'''
No one, not even a professor of quantum dynamics, should be allowed to
settle a dispute with a reference to their prior achievement (ie.
title, etc.). They should thus have ONE vote, just as everybody else.
This will not stop their valid views from prevailing.
Giving everybody the chance to truly converse as equals will bring out
the best in both academics and laymen alike.
(NB: My idea to ban even mentioning degrees is merely a ''safeguard
against self-censorship'' of non-academics. Because most non-academics
will indeed "shut up" if they notice the other person to have a title
-- out of exaggerated awe, even if they have perfectly points to make.)
Titles or degrees shouldn't be a requirement for joining ANY chapter of
the review club either. Qualified academics will ''automatically'' join
the relevant review boards. We do ''not'' have to look for "experts
with titles" in any way. We do ''not'' have to expressly set out to
install a quota of accredited academics into the review boards. Given
the mere establishment of ''sensible, disciplined and democratic''
fora, academics will join them in large numbers.
And they will be more productive there if we allow ANY interested
individuals to join as well, with requirements of ''constructiveness,
not of prior achievement'' in fields of knowledge work. Every parent
knows that it's children's questions that teach us the most.
A stable version of Wikipedia has a questionable
future if
it does not rely on people with academic degrees as a very
imporant part of our editorial review process.
We should continue to rely on ''people'' (a fair share of whom happen
to hold academic degrees). We should not rely on "degrees" per se.
Anything
less will result it in being considered one step above "fan
fiction" by high-school, college and university professors.
Yes, outside esteem is an issue, because the traditional system of
knowledge review (see above link) is so well established. But again, as
mentioned here:
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030552.html
, outside and Wikipedian academics will, in time, do that work for us:
Just as those academics already in our midst, they will increasingly
come to recognize our value and '''become opinion leaders''',
telling
those who need their truths "straight from the horse's mouth" that we
really ARE ''all that''.
There is an evident distrust towards academic degrees
here,
and it doesn't help us.
No there isn't. Academics are welcome. '''I just want to avoid building
automatic bias towards opinions of degree holders back into a
revolutionarily unbiased system (the Wikipedia).'''
It seems to stem from a
misunderstanding of egalitarianism that many Wikipedia
contributors have. Some people seem to think that
egalitarianism means that all people are equally competant
to review an article.
Well, I don't believe that.
But everybody should be given an equal shot at contributing to the
review process. Any less well thought out views will just not get very
far. BUT: --this is important to comprehend-- mostly less competent
people intermittently have very valid and well thought out
contributions to make. Under the traditional system of knowledge
review, those are almost always lost.
This is just as true as saying that
all people are equally tall, and that all food in a
supermarket is equally nutritious. In other words, the
proposition is violently false.
moot point
I'd honestly be willing to bet my life that a
dozen Ph.D.s
in Physics will produce better editorial oversight and
corrections than a dozen self-selected Internet junkies,
when it comes to reviewing Physics articles. I'd honestly
be willing to bet my life that a dozen Ph.D.s in American
Literature will produce better editorial oversight and
corrections than a dozen self-selected Internet junkies,
when it comes to reviewing American literature articles.
What I believe you're missing is that the "Internet junkies" contain a
fair share of Ph.D.s -- and they will ''automatically'' find their way
into the relevant review boards.
Accepting the fact that some people have studied a lot
and
have earned an academic degree does not prevent anyone else
from contributing.
That's exactly what I seek to ensure, both with the edit process AND,
crucially, with the next generation of our review process.
It does not prevent anyone else from
offering corrections or edits. It isn't even
anti-egalitarian. True egalitarianism only means that all
people have a right to study a subject, and to try and
become experts in said subject. It does *not* mean that
all people are already experts on said subject!
Robert (RK)
Thanks and regards,
Jens Ropers
PS:
Selected related posts (mostly by me ;-) :
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030496.html
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030523.html
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030519.html
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030506.html
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030507.html
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030521.html
(same link as above)
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030551.html
http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-September/030552.html
(same link as above)