If I remember correctly, rationalwiki came into being as a response to Conservapedia, which is the American religious right’s response to Wikipedia. The main issues originally at play were scientific: climate change, evolution, and the origin of the universe. Conservatives who disagreed with the consensus formed their own wiki.
People on the left formed rationalwiki to tit-for-tat the right. Called it rationalwiki because the denial of scientific consensus was irrational; I don’t think the name had any connection whatsoever to the rationality blogosphere.
Rationalwiki admits to taking a “snarky point of view,” which to me is an admission that documenting truth is not their primary aim.
If I remember correctly, rationalwiki came into being as a response to Conservapedia, which is the American religious right’s response to Wikipedia. The main issues originally at play were scientific: climate change, evolution, and the origin of the universe. Conservatives who disagreed with the consensus formed their own wiki.
People on the left formed rationalwiki to tit-for-tat the right. Called it rationalwiki because the denial of scientific consensus was irrational; I don’t think the name had any connection whatsoever to the rationality blogosphere.
Rationalwiki admits to taking a “snarky point of view,” which to me is an admission that documenting truth is not their primary aim.