Neutrality Policy
In the interests of encouraging the broadest participation, of assisting people in making up their own minds about controversial issues, and of increasing the likelihood of articulating the whole truth about all subjects, the Encyclopedia of the Cosmos adopts the following policies regarding neutrality and fairness.
- Neutrality. The Encyclopedia of the Cosmos articles shall, when touching upon any issue of controversy, be fair and insofar as possible neutral. Following are some examples of what is meant by neutrality in Encyclopedia of the Cosmos:
- Controversy. The Encyclopedia of the Cosmos recognizes that there may occasionally be differences in opinion of scholars on the interpretation of scientific data. When touching upon any issue of controversy, every different view on a subject that attracts a significant portion of informed and qualified adherents shall be represented, with each such view and its arguments or evidence being expressed as fairly and sympathetically as possible. This entails, among other things, that:
- No Advocacy The Encyclopedia of the Cosmos itself shall not advocate positions; it shall also be both non-partisan and non-sectarian.
- Language. The Encyclopedia of the Cosmos shall not use phraseology or tone that elevates or deprecates particular perspectives or people holding a particular perspective.
- Dialectic. The Encyclopedia of the Cosmos shall attempt, iteratively if necessary, to represent fairly and sympathetically the arguments of different disputants against each others' positions.
- No Advocacy The Encyclopedia of the Cosmos itself shall not advocate positions; it shall also be both non-partisan and non-sectarian.
- Balance. Where there is a need to apportion limited space, space on areas of disagreement shall be apportioned roughly in proportion to their representation among experts.
- Uncertainties and Assumptions: The Encyclopedia of the Cosmos shall recognize uncertainties in data, interpretation, and understanding, as well as other reasons for different perspectives on a subject, such as assumptions made.
- Inclusion. As access to the broadest array of knowledge has many salutary effects, the Encyclopedia of the Cosmos shall be strongly disposed to include rather than exclude content.
- Exclusion.
- Harm. When some content both has no discernible and unique benefit to the advancement of knowledge, and has significant potential to harm the health or moral character of individuals, of human society at large, or of the environment, it may be excluded.
- Broad consensus. To be grounds for exclusion, the harmful nature of some content must be affirmed, or likely to be affirmed, by the majority of the world’s educated population, regardless of political or religious views.
- Examples. Paradigm examples of excluded content are bomb-making instructions, pornography, and Holocaust denial.
- Harm. When some content both has no discernible and unique benefit to the advancement of knowledge, and has significant potential to harm the health or moral character of individuals, of human society at large, or of the environment, it may be excluded.