Issuepedia:Wiki Issue Exploration Structure

This page is setup to help define a structure that allows issues to be debated or argued. Wikis offer a great opportunity to allow an improved debate format from email exchanges or spoken debates.

Overview

Whats the best way to have a debate about an issue? Firstly don't have an argument, do an investigation! One can state an opinion/hypothesis and then provide facts that when taken together imply that result. Points must be emotionally neutral - be logical. Wiki's offer a great opportunity to debate in a structured format. Complex issues often lead to multiple different conclusions, having codification of two sides of an argument is not helpful.

Wikipedia offers a good way to evaluate certain events or facts. Due to NPOV, NOR and NOT, it is not a good medium for a exploration of the truth of certain arguments. Sometimes these debates are ad-hoc in the discussion pages. The fact that there is criticism of something may be listed without examining the validity of the criticism itself.

Structure

Exposition

A neutral question of the issue to be explored. For example "Can we provide a more structured debate using a Wiki?".

Statement of background with agreed points

A timeline could be used here.

Contentious points

Succinct enumeration of points that are contentious (i.e. where we have knowledge of disagreement). Points should be somehow falsifiable; if not initially falsifiable as stated, then some reworking is called for.
Debate on each point, using sources and argument on the sources; can be split off into separate pages if necessary
Where any generalizations can be made (e.g. everyone agrees about some attribute a solution will have to have), put those into the background section.
When debate on contentious points seems to have come to an end, we can decide if anything has been resolved (let's call this "reinforcement" or "negation" of a point, rather than "proof"). If point is reinforced, move into "conclusions" section. If disproved, move into "negated points".
Action statements should be used to indicate outstanding action that can be taken to gather facts that will help verify or falsify these points (perhaps there should also be a "Needed" section, where all the loose ends can be listed together for any helpful research-inclined individuals?)

Conclusions

A conclusion/generalization drawn from weighting the issues above. Sub debate on the weighted values and the correctness of the conclusion. Some way of listing them in a "most likely" order would be good.

Negated points

Listing of points that have been significantly negated, i.e. objective observers agree that these points are (at best) not really supported by their arguments and evidence