[Wikipedia-l] Re: A Solution to Larry Sanger's Criticisms - Project Has Been Around For A While

Fri Jan 7 06:28:52 UTC 2005

Daniel Mayer a écrit:
> --- Shaun MacPherson <shaun_macpherson2001 at yahoo.ca> wrote:
> 
>>Larry Sanger believes that the solution to make
>>Wikipedia more credible are with experts.  You can see
>>a good article descriping his criticisms here (
>>http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/03/144207&tid=95&tid=1
>>) posted on Jan 3, 2004.
> 
> 
> I respect Larry and what he did to help Wikipedia along in its first year. But
> I will never just assume that somebody with a PhD is right since many PhDs all
> too often are not; I've come across and know of a good many PhDs who have axes
> to grind and who have pet theories to push. 
> 
> NPOV is a much better guarantee of accuracy than trusting a supposed expert
> (although I do highly value feedback from field experts - I just don't take
> their ideas as the last word). 
> 
> Many in academia are used to being the gatekeepers and stewards of 
> information. Wiki opens those gates to anybody with an Internet connection. So
> many in academia will always recoil in horror at the mere concept - that is
> their problem, their failing, not ours. 

I totally agree here.
Wikipedia relies on this concept that no one knows everything but 
everyone knows something he can teach others. It recognises that 
knowledge and rightfullness is not only due when you made upper studies.
It wonderfully succeed to give power to the lay man, to turn him from 
being a passive reader of news to someone involved. It is SO empowering.