Difference between revisions of "Issuepedia:Mission"

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Issuepedia's underlying goal is to help foster a better future for all.
==Overview==
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[[Issuepedia]]'s mission is to aid in the process of making decisions, starting with larger issues (which do not need to be compartmentalized) and gradually developing techniques for working out more immediate disputes.
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Issuepedia's primary work towards that goal is to promote a more accurate [[Truth/evidenced|understanding of reality]] through:
==Goals==
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:'''1.''' documentation of...
Some particular goals emerging from this:
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:* the best available [[evidence]]
* to place protective yet [[transparency|transparent]] shields of [[verifiability]] and [[accountability]] (among other tools) around the basic [[truth]]s upon which our [[civilization]] is built
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:* [[propaganda]] and other attempts to manipulate popular [[belief]]
* to document (and to be a central library for):
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:* the {{lc|manipulative tools|methodologies}} used in such manipulation attempts (especially where successful)
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:* well-intentioned errors in thinking due to inherent cognitive bias
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:'''2.''' development of tools to aid in the process of [[collective decisionmaking]]
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Some particular emergent goals:
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* to provide a '''[[project:Arguing|forum for rational discussion]]''' of contentious issues
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* to place protective yet [[transparency|transparent]] shields of [[verifiability]] and [[accountability]] around basic [[truth]]s upon which [[civilization]] is built
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* to create a library of:
 
** significant [[issue]]s
 
** significant [[issue]]s
 
** [[opinion]]s held on those issues, along with any available reasoning or background necessary to understand those opinions
 
** [[opinion]]s held on those issues, along with any available reasoning or background necessary to understand those opinions
 
** [[Issuepedia:Analytical toolkit|analytical tools]] available for attempting to reach a reasonable decision on such issues
 
** [[Issuepedia:Analytical toolkit|analytical tools]] available for attempting to reach a reasonable decision on such issues
* to provide a forum for further discussion
 
 
* to provide a central collection point for information about other decision-making tools
 
* to provide a central collection point for information about other decision-making tools
 
* [[Issuepedia:Reclaiming words|Reclaiming words]] which have been misappropriated
 
* [[Issuepedia:Reclaiming words|Reclaiming words]] which have been misappropriated
* '''Calling out praise or condemnation''', as appropriate, whenever a person or group does anything praiseworthy or contemptuous:
 
** [[Issuepedia:Wacky Award|The Issuepedia Wacky Award]]
 
** [[Issuepedia:Member of Civilization Award|The Issuepedia Member of Civilization Award]]
 
*** '''possible nominees''': [[Keith Olbermann]], [[Chris Dodd]], [[Ron Paul]], [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Larry Lessig]], [[Cory Doctorow]]...
 
 
* [[Issuepedia:Challenge|Challenging]] readers to express viewpoints opposing those which currently predominate on Issuepedia (or anywhere)
 
* [[Issuepedia:Challenge|Challenging]] readers to express viewpoints opposing those which currently predominate on Issuepedia (or anywhere)
 
* Providing an outlet for [[Issuepedia:Rampant Paranoia|Rampant Paranoia]], so we can get those nagging doubts out of our heads and (hopefully) start proving them wrong
 
* Providing an outlet for [[Issuepedia:Rampant Paranoia|Rampant Paranoia]], so we can get those nagging doubts out of our heads and (hopefully) start proving them wrong
  
Issupedia aspires to:
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Issuepedia aspires to:
* Being part of an [[Issuepedia:Role|interlocking network of related projects]]
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* be part of an [[Issuepedia:Role|interlocking network of related projects]]
* Saying that which can't be said [http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html], i.e. riding roughshod over [[Issuepedia:taboo truths|taboo truths]]
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* say that which can't be said [http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html], i.e. riding roughshod over [[Issuepedia:taboo truths|taboo truths]]
* [[Issuepedia:Scripture|Document understanding of scriptural works]], since so many people are influenced by them, both to uncover inconsistencies and identify any valuable ideas or truths they may contain
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* document understanding of [[scriptural]] works, since so many people are influenced by them, both to uncover inconsistencies and identify any valuable ideas or truths they may contain
==Issue Encyclopedia==
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==Related==
Being a [[wiki]], Issuepedia allows anyone to edit or create any article; Issuepedia's goal is to guide this process towards a comprehensive encyclopedia of issues and opinions, in much the same way that [[Wikipedia]] (which uses [[wikipedia:MediaWiki|the same wiki software]]) has become a valuable comprehensive reference work for [[fact]]ual information purely through volunteer efforts.
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* [[/archive]]: outdated text from this page
 
 
In traditional formats (such as face-to-face discussion or written editorializing), any argument has always faced a compromise between ''thoroughly informing'' and ''sticking to the point''. There is also a similar conflict between the goals of ''discovering the truth'' and ''making a convincing argument''.
 
 
 
By providing a location where points of argument (and agreement) on any given issue can be documented and referenced, Issuepedia hopes to eliminate much of the endless circular arguing and side-tracking which has always plagued such discussions. The relatively new (c.1990) technique of embedding [[wikipedia:Hyperlink|hyperlinks]] within a discussion or argument makes it easier to provide complete source materials and thorough explanations without getting into a side-track and possibly losing the thread of the main thought, while [[wiki]] technology makes it possible for casual, non-technical users to participate in this process.
 
 
 
See [[Issuepedia:Technology|Issuepedia Technology]] for further discussion of Issuepedia's technological work, or [[Issuepedia:Dispute Resolution Technology|Dispute Resolution Technology]] for technology specific to unraveling disputes.
 
==Documentation of Opinion==
 
Although Issuepedia ultimately aims to back up all opinions with reasoning, the fact that someone ''holds'' an opinion may be sufficient grounds for including that opinion, especially if the opinion is widely held or is held by a group who makes efforts to have their opinions known. Documenting such opinions makes it possible to begin the process of determining who agrees with that opinion, what arguments exist to support or weaken it, and ultimately whether or not it should be taken seriously.
 
 
 
Issuepedia also has a policy of allowing [[Issuepedia:reasonably sound opinion|reasonably sound opinion]] to stand without qualification, based on the idea that the truth will gradually emerge by a successive-approximation process called [[Issuepedia:Reinforcement by Contradiction|Reinforcement by Contradiction]].
 

Latest revision as of 15:23, 18 February 2020

Issuepedia's underlying goal is to help foster a better future for all.

Issuepedia's primary work towards that goal is to promote a more accurate understanding of reality through:

1. documentation of...
  • the best available evidence
  • propaganda and other attempts to manipulate popular belief
  • the manipulative tools used in such manipulation attempts (especially where successful)
  • well-intentioned errors in thinking due to inherent cognitive bias
2. development of tools to aid in the process of collective decisionmaking

Some particular emergent goals:

  • to provide a forum for rational discussion of contentious issues
  • to place protective yet transparent shields of verifiability and accountability around basic truths upon which civilization is built
  • to create a library of:
    • significant issues
    • opinions held on those issues, along with any available reasoning or background necessary to understand those opinions
    • analytical tools available for attempting to reach a reasonable decision on such issues
  • to provide a central collection point for information about other decision-making tools
  • Reclaiming words which have been misappropriated
  • Challenging readers to express viewpoints opposing those which currently predominate on Issuepedia (or anywhere)
  • Providing an outlet for Rampant Paranoia, so we can get those nagging doubts out of our heads and (hopefully) start proving them wrong

Issuepedia aspires to:

Related