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I generally agree with you, "Wikipedia permits opinions, weakly supported arguments, and controversy, so wikipedia, in spite of its goal to be an encyclopedia, is not an encyclopedia." I think it would be more accurate to say that Wikipedia is mistaken in what it claims about itself.
And then there is what Al said.
My only point is that a work that claims to be an encyclopedia should contain truthful information.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Lauren
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 2:58 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: WIKIPEDIA
No, Leonard, you are mistaken. Wikipedia *claims* to be an encyclopedia
and it strives to be an encyclopedia, but it is maintained by people who
lack the qualifications to provide "a work that contains information on
all branches of knowledge." "Knowledge" is the operative term here,
since "knowledge" within the constructs of an encyclopedia requires
conveyance of generally accepted true statements. Wikipedia permits
opinions, weakly supported arguments, and controversy, so wikipedia, in
spite of its goal to be an encyclopedia, is not an encyclopedia.
Lauren
On 2/10/2011 2:45 PM, Porrello, Leonard wrote:
> > From the URL you provided: "Wikipedia is an encyclopedic reference...."
>
> And if we are going to be pedestrian, then an "encyclopedia" is "a book, often in many volumes, containing articles on various topics, often arranged in alphabetical order, dealing either with the whole range of human knowledge or with one particular subject."
>
> Notice the definition speaks of "human knowledge" (not "opinion" or "conjecture"). Knowledge is "the sum of what is known | the body of truth, information, and principles acquired by humankind."
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