[Cz-biology] [Cz-philosophy] [Cz-health-sci] Abortion article

[Larry Sanger]

All,
 
I'm sorry to have to point this out, because I admire and am grateful for
the excellent work of our constables, certainly including John, Thom, and
Steve.  But as the issue has come up, I really should explain something.
 
In short, only the most obvious and uncontroversial instances of the
neutrality policy is a ground for deletion without editor instruction.  If
you will examine our Article Deletion Policy
 
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:Article_Deletion_Policy
 
you'll find that the grounds on which the Constabulary could delete a
"biased" article, on their own recognizance, is this: "it would be obvious
and uncontroversial to virtually all constables that it is not an
encyclopedia article; see what Citizendium articles are not
<http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:What_Citizendium_articles_are_not> ."
 
Since I haven't read the abortion article in question, I don't know whether
it satisfies that fairly high standard (and so I have no opinion on that
question), but I do believe the Constabulary should examine the text and
discuss whether it does.  If not, the article should be restored and the
matter passed onto exclusive editor purview.
 
In any case, the Constabulary should make a copy available to concerned
editors who would like to review the Constabulary's decision.
 
Moreover, we should in any case move biased articles to "Cold Storage,"
here:
 
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:Cold_Storage
 
instead of deleting them outright.
 
On a theoretical note, I make two observations.  First, it is well-advised
to allow constables to delete articles.  The Constabulary is considerably
more "nimble" than editors, because they are more active and, as you see
here, deeply concerned with matters of good behavior.  They can usually
discuss and act within a few hours, and if "emergency" action needs to be
taken, there is usually a constable on hand to take action within minutes.
This is all good.  Second, however, it is very important that we try to
distinguish, as well as we can, behavioral problems from editorial problems,
and that we assign the editorial problems only to editors and not to
constables.  This isn't easy, but it's important that we try.  Just as the
Constabulary acts as a check on "editors gone haywire" (not something that
happens very often, of course), editors act as a check on "over-zealous
constables."  I think that the resulting division and balance of authority
will serve us well in the long run.
 
Also, putting on my philosopher hat, for what it's worth, the theory behind
the abortion controversy is one of the main topics in applied ethics, and is
standardly taught by philosophers in ethics courses, in the U.S. at least.
 
Thanks to all--
Larry
 

-----Original Message-----
From: cz-philosophy-bounces at mail.citizendium.org
[mailto:cz-philosophy-bounces at mail.citizendium.org] On Behalf Of John Hymers
Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 7:53 AM
To: Dr. S N Sarbadhikari
Cc: cz-biology at mail.citizendium.org; cz-philosophy at mail.citizendium.org;
Harvey Frey; John Stephenson; cz-health-sci at mail.citizendium.org;
czinternal-constable at mail.citizendium.org
Subject: Re: [Cz-philosophy] [Cz-health-sci] Abortion article


although i am sure your judgement was correct, i would still love to read
this piece ...
cheers, john


On 10/26/07, Dr. S N Sarbadhikari <  <mailto:supten at amrita.edu>
supten at amrita.edu> wrote: 

I agree with Harvey
Supten

>     I don't see why it is necessary to "do" anything with it (except 
> perhaps
> to add citations to referenced philosphers).
>
>     The author has done an excellent job of showing both sides, meaning
> that
> extremists on both sides will be annoyed. There is no way an article on a 
> controversial topic can be written without annoying someone. Let it be.
>
> Harvey
> =========================
> Harvey S. Frey MD PhD Esq.
> hsfrey at harp.org  <mailto:hsfrey at harp.org>   www.harp.org
> =========================
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Stephenson" <  <mailto:citizendium at linguistics.org.uk>
citizendium at linguistics.org.uk>
> To: <Cz-biology at mail.citizendium.org>;
> <Cz-health-sci at mail.citizendium.org
<mailto:Cz-health-sci at mail.citizendium.org> >;
> <cz-philosophy at mail.citizendium.org>
> Cc: <czinternal-constable at mail.citizendium.org
<mailto:czinternal-constable at mail.citizendium.org> >
> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 11:08 PM
> Subject: [Cz-health-sci] Abortion article
>
>
>> To biologists, health scientists and philosophers (copied to
>> constabulary in case of future problems), 
>>
>> You might want to take a look at the Abortion article, started by new
>> author Peter Whale. I really don't know what to do or where to begin
>> with it.
>>
>> http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Abortion
>>
>> He has assigned it to the philosophy workgroup.
>>
>> John.

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-- 
Dr. John Hymers
Homepage: 
http://hymers.eu/dr_hymers/ 

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