[WikiEN-l] NPOV policy

[steven l. rubenstein]

I appreciate RK's work on developing our NPOV policy concerning historical 
context for articles such as ones on religion.  For what it is worth, I 
think we can explain it in a simpler and more direct way.
1) NPOV often means multiple points of view.  This means providing not only 
the points of view of different groups today, but different groups in the past.
2) Wikipedia is an encyclopedia.  One important task for articles is to 
explain things.  In the case of human beliefs and practices, explanation 
encompasses not only what motivates individuals who hold these beliefs and 
practices, but an account of how such beliefs and practices came to be and 
took shape.

Steve

Steven L. Rubenstein
Associate Professor
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Bentley Annex
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio 45701
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