[WikiEN-l] Stupidity toward experts

[Will Beback]

Guy Chapman aka JzG wrote:
> On Thu, 17 May 2007 17:05:29 +0100, "David Gerard" <dgerard at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> ove the bit where burntsauce tells Patrick Nielsen Hayden to get a
>>
>>     
> reliable source.Love even more the bit where several editors tell him, in words of one
> syllable and with skilful use of withering scorn, exactly who he has
> just insulted :-)
>
> Guy (JzG)
>   
There are two kinds of experts: those who are involved actively in their 
subjects and those who simply study them. With either type there is a 
danger in conflating expertise with neutrality but it is especially a 
problem when the experts have business or personal connections to the 
subjects. While I realize that Patrick and Theresa Nielsen Hayden are 
major figures in their field that does not mean that they are neutral 
commentators. In fact, their history at Wikipedia shows just the 
opposite. Assertions by an expert who has an interest in a subject may 
be useful but we should not abdicate our usual procedures just because 
the famous person decides to give us their input. While their comments 
may be a reliable source for their opinions, their opinions don't trump 
NPOV, OR, and V.

Will Beback