Comments on: Wikipedia History Wars http://freeschools.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/wikipedia-history-wars/ A blog about free schools and free schooling. Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:51:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Brian http://freeschools.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/wikipedia-history-wars/#comment-40 Brian Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:35:28 +0000 http://freeschools.wordpress.com/?p=87#comment-40 Hey Jacob, that's definitely a really good point - and I agree that's currently how people should be using Wikipedia. My only problem is that Wikipedia's stance on neutrality (which is written into its terms of service as nonnegotiable) remains a problem. As long as people get information from a source that claims to be neutral, they might think that the information they're getting is unbiased - and thus not subject to mistakes/lies/etc. (whether conscious or unconscious). I'm not saying that by being non-neutral, Wikipedia should try to take a side, but instead it should admit that what is written in it is influenced by cultural biases and backgrounds. Thus, I think it might be important to start a wiki-like place that is designed for these discussions and controversies that doesn't claim to be neutral (or at least to get Wikipedia to revoke it's "neutrality" stance.) However, I do agree with you that we should be trying to write into Wikipedia the controversies where they don't currently exist - thus starting a dialouge and debate. Hey Jacob, that’s definitely a really good point – and I agree that’s currently how people should be using Wikipedia. My only problem is that Wikipedia’s stance on neutrality (which is written into its terms of service as nonnegotiable) remains a problem. As long as people get information from a source that claims to be neutral, they might think that the information they’re getting is unbiased – and thus not subject to mistakes/lies/etc. (whether conscious or unconscious). I’m not saying that by being non-neutral, Wikipedia should try to take a side, but instead it should admit that what is written in it is influenced by cultural biases and backgrounds. Thus, I think it might be important to start a wiki-like place that is designed for these discussions and controversies that doesn’t claim to be neutral (or at least to get Wikipedia to revoke it’s “neutrality” stance.)

However, I do agree with you that we should be trying to write into Wikipedia the controversies where they don’t currently exist – thus starting a dialouge and debate.

]]> By: Jacob http://freeschools.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/wikipedia-history-wars/#comment-38 Jacob Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:23:13 +0000 http://freeschools.wordpress.com/?p=87#comment-38 So the coolest thing about history is that there are so many different ways to interpret it, as you point out. Discussing the controversies is a really important thing, and I think I have seen wikipedia articles that do have sections for controversial or continuing discussions of what people think the 'facts' are. Why not use those or create them where they don't exist? So the coolest thing about history is that there are so many different ways to interpret it, as you point out. Discussing the controversies is a really important thing, and I think I have seen wikipedia articles that do have sections for controversial or continuing discussions of what people think the ‘facts’ are. Why not use those or create them where they don’t exist?

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