Re: [Bug-gne]Right/Wrong if editorship in GNE/Nupedia

[Jean-Daniel Fekete]

I am not sure I understand the point of censorship versus "no editor".
Editorial issue is about quality and ethics.  We can decide what the rules
are both for quality and ethics.
Editors are responsible for enforcing the policy regarding these issues.
By requesting that editors belong to different cultures / countries, we
should be able to avoid some bias.
However, I am pretty certain that when GNE/Nupedia becomes famous, every
brain damaged species of the human race will try to send an article
explaining why their theory is THE ONE.  Think about having articles on
negationism, pro pedophilia, pro murder, etc.
This will happen without editorship.  With editorship, borderline articles
might be refused.  Even when it happens (it will), there are enough sites on
the Internet to be sure the ideas will be spread, whatever strange they are.

I don't believe strong censorship -- i.e. a bunch of editors deciding
together that nothing should be said about for instance suicide because it
is bad -- can happen when the editors are chosen from a variety of places /
cultures / countries.  We may also propose an "appeal" if an article is
refused.

So the debate is: having borderline articles refused by editor versus having
articles pro pedophilia, pro murder, pro negationism.

  Jean-Daniel Fekete
  Ecole des Mines de Nantes, 4 rue Alfred Kastler, La Chantrerie,
  BP 20722, 44307 Nantes Cedex 03, France
  Voice: +33-2-51-85-82-08  | Fax: +33-2-51-85-82-49
  address@hidden | http://www.emn.fr/fekete/

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Warren" <address@hidden>
To: <address@hidden>
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 1:26 AM
Subject: Re: [Bug-gne]Right/Wrong if editorship in GNE/Nupedia


> Jon Babcock <address@hidden> writes:
>
> > At the end of the day, to edit or not, should be determined by the
> > authors and editors themselves, not by a blanket policy. Volunteer
> > editors should be available to writer's who are astute enough to use
> > them.
>
> That's pretty much what GNE has decided to do.
>
> > Btw, there is a big difference between an editor and a censor. An
> > editor's primary responsibility is to help an author say what he
> > wants to say more effectively.
>
> True. However, an ``editorial policy'' is of course much closer to
> censorship.
>
> --
> address@hidden
> <URL:http://www.mike-warren.com>
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>
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