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The original [[:Category:Wiki English|English]] language [[RationalWiki]] has about 4,723 registered accounts, of which 565 (or 12%) have [[sysop]] rights, which are awarded very liberally by the [[bureaucrat]]s. | The original [[:Category:Wiki English|English]] language [[RationalWiki]] has about 4,723 registered accounts, of which 565 (or 12%) have [[sysop]] rights, which are awarded very liberally by the [[bureaucrat]]s. | ||
RationalWiki runs a large collection of specially customized extensions | RationalWiki runs a large collection of specially customized extensions, most of which were created by [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/User:Nx Nx], implementing a wide range of features such as up-down voting (WIGO, or what-is-going-on), slider voting, a site wide intercom system, a signature checker, and easy [[:Category:Bible|Bible]] quotations.[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Special:Version] The source code of most of these extensions has been made publicly available. | ||
RationalWiki also has a namespace dedicated to [[Conservapedia]]. | RationalWiki also has a namespace dedicated to [[Conservapedia]] and a collection of recipes, some of which are pseudo-recipes whose real purpose is to impart jokes[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Recipe:Insanity] or religious commentary.[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Recipe:Atheist%27s_Nightmare] | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
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==RationalWiki today== | ==RationalWiki today== | ||
While [[Conservapedia]] continues to be a major source of traffic to RationalWiki (mainly, their [[RationalWiki:Conservapedia:What is going on at CP%3F|What is going on at Conservapedia?]] page), they have branched out into many areas of skepticism. | While [[Conservapedia]] continues to be a major source of traffic to RationalWiki (mainly, their [[RationalWiki:Conservapedia:What is going on at CP%3F|What is going on at Conservapedia?]] page), they have branched out into many areas of skepticism. Many articles focus on unfounded [[:Category:Medical|medical]] claims, pseudoscience, and Biblical literalism. Despite a seemingly [[:Category:Atheism|pro-atheist]], [[:Category:Religion|anti-religious]] stance, some editors are practicing Christians, Jews, Muslims, or Odinists (among others) tending towards the more liberal aspects of their religion rather than fundamentalism. However, most of the regular contributers to RationalWiki are devout atheists. | ||
The site works to refute a range of faith-based ideas as well as superstitions. | The site works to refute a range of faith-based ideas as well as superstitions. They have critical material on [[:Category:Scientology|Scientology]], [[:Category:Christianity|Christianity]], [[:Category:Creationism|Creationism]], [[:Category:Astrology|Astrology]], "New Age" philosophy, and many others. It also comments critically on other Christian creationist wikis, like the relatively unnotable if it weren't for their editors joining up to argue with the founder, [[A Storehouse of Knowledge]] (see [[RationalWiki:A Storehouse of Knowledge|RationalWiki: A Storehouse of Knowledge]]). | ||
The website has a rather idiosyncratic sense of humour, which includes widespread intentional misspellings and other peculiar phrases. There are many "inside jokes", particularly in the material relating to [[Conservapedia]], and the writing often has the tone of a close-knit social group. | The website has a rather idiosyncratic sense of humour, which includes widespread intentional misspellings and other peculiar phrases. There are many "inside jokes", particularly in the material relating to [[Conservapedia]], and the writing often has the tone of a close-knit social group. Some dialog takes place through log summaries for ultra-short-term (or even zero-duration) blocks.[http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ALog&type=block] | ||
RationalWiki has one or two [[:Category:GreatFeature|great features]] | RationalWiki has one or two [[:Category:GreatFeature|great features]] — readers can vote on their "what Is Going On" pages; there are random text generators for entertainment purposes — usually for parodying various figures at Conservapedia. | ||
Example of RationalWiki's perspective:- | Example of RationalWiki's perspective:- | ||
<blockquote>''As a site we have a point of view, and that point of view is that the scientific method and the information gained from its application is better than almost anything else humanity has come up with. We believe that the support of, profiting from and creation of pseudosciences is dangerous and wrong. [[RationalWiki:RationalWiki:Project Whitewash/What is a RationalWiki article|RationalWiki:What is a RationalWiki article]]''</blockquote> | <blockquote>''As a site we have a point of view, and that point of view is that the scientific method and the information gained from its application is better than almost anything else humanity has come up with. We believe that the support of, profiting from and creation of pseudosciences is dangerous and wrong. [[RationalWiki:RationalWiki:Project Whitewash/What is a RationalWiki article|RationalWiki:What is a RationalWiki article]]''</blockquote> | ||
==Policies and guidelines== | |||
RationalWiki has a set of community standards to which it sometimes/somewhat adheres. For example, it states "Talk pages should ''never'' be deleted" but in actual practice, talk pages deemed to consist of [[trolling]] sometimes are deleted. RationalWiki does not aspire to be a general purpose encyclopedia like Wikipedia; therefore, pages deemed to be off-mission are deleted. Such decisions are made through a mobocratic process. | |||
==Criticism== | ==Criticism== | ||
Former [[Conservapedia]] sysop and [[A Storehouse of Knowledge]] founder Philip J. Rayment harshly criticized RationalWiki as, "[A] place of filthy and blasphemous language, replete with name-calling, smearing, innuendo, hypocrisy, and other undesirable attributes".[http://www.astorehouseofknowledge.info/index.php?title=User_talk:Philip_J._Rayment&diff=14129&oldid=14127] | Former [[Conservapedia]] sysop and [[A Storehouse of Knowledge]] founder Philip J. Rayment harshly criticized RationalWiki as, "[A] place of filthy and blasphemous language, replete with name-calling, smearing, innuendo, hypocrisy, and other undesirable attributes".[http://www.astorehouseofknowledge.info/index.php?title=User_talk:Philip_J._Rayment&diff=14129&oldid=14127] | ||
Many of those critical of RationalWiki refer to the website as "RatWiki" or "IrrationalWiki". | Many of those critical of RationalWiki refer to the website as "RatWiki" or "IrrationalWiki". Although [[Liberapedia]] is mostly supportive of the wiki, it is critical of its perceived conservative bias.{{fact}} | ||
==Satire== | ==Satire== | ||
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==RationalWiki Foundation== | ==RationalWiki Foundation== | ||
In July 2010, ownership of the website | In July 2010, ownership of the website transferred to a [[:Category:Nonprofit|non-profit]] foundation called the '''[[RationalWiki:RationalWiki:RationalWiki Foundation|RationalWiki Foundation]]'''. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||