Comments on: Authority is quite degrading http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2005/10/26/authority-is-quite-degrading/ Mon, 14 May 2012 13:18:49 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: UTC Lupton Library Blog » Blog Archive » Research and Website Evaluation http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2005/10/26/authority-is-quite-degrading/#comment-848 UTC Lupton Library Blog » Blog Archive » Research and Website Evaluation Thu, 27 Oct 2005 20:01:54 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/?p=832#comment-848 [...] How to Evaluate: Kapoun’s Five Criteria (Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency, Coverage) [NB: see my thoughts on Authority..I’m not a fan]   [...] [...] How to Evaluate: Kapoun’s Five Criteria (Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency, Coverage) [NB: see my thoughts on Authority..I’m not a fan]   [...]

]]> By: Jason Griffey http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2005/10/26/authority-is-quite-degrading/#comment-847 Jason Griffey Wed, 26 Oct 2005 15:07:30 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/?p=832#comment-847 I suppose that we are going to agree to disagree, then. My position is a philosophical one...that authority is not a reliable method of assigning truth values. Even as a portion of the assignment, I question the usefulness of it. Moreover, I feel we do our students a disservice by teaching them that it is, and this is the real issue in my mind. I'm working towards an article more fully fleshing out my feelings on this matter, and will hopefully get something out soon. I suppose that we are going to agree to disagree, then.

My position is a philosophical one…that authority is not a reliable method of assigning truth values. Even as a portion of the assignment, I question the usefulness of it.

Moreover, I feel we do our students a disservice by teaching them that it is, and this is the real issue in my mind. I’m working towards an article more fully fleshing out my feelings on this matter, and will hopefully get something out soon.

]]> By: David Mattison http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2005/10/26/authority-is-quite-degrading/#comment-846 David Mattison Wed, 26 Oct 2005 15:00:17 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/?p=832#comment-846 Sorry about that comment that got through Jason. When I tried posting it I got a long PHP/MysQL error message. I didn't think it made it so left it for some further mulling. I'm working on a reply to the DIGREF mailing list. I should say in this comment, having now seen your responses to my mis-posted comment, that I certainly was not arguing that the Flu Wiki or any source should be accepted solely on the basis of its authority. Did you not see the other criteria I associated with that word? As far as "The current world of information is hyperlinked, always on, and ubiquitous.", that may be so in the Academy, but out here in the real world, not everything is on the Internet and equally available to all, nor are URLs persistent and reliable. Authority or the authoritativeness of the source, despite your mighty protestations (I am familiar with the Sokal incident), is still very much a valid and reliable method of information evaluation, just not, as you said, to the exclusion of other information evaluation criteria. Sorry about that comment that got through Jason. When I tried posting it I got a long PHP/MysQL error message. I didn’t think it made it so left it for some further mulling. I’m working on a reply to the DIGREF mailing list. I should say in this comment, having now seen your responses to my mis-posted comment, that I certainly was not arguing that the Flu Wiki or any source should be accepted solely on the basis of its authority. Did you not see the other criteria I associated with that word? As far as “The current world of information is hyperlinked, always on, and ubiquitous.”, that may be so in the Academy, but out here in the real world, not everything is on the Internet and equally available to all, nor are URLs persistent and reliable. Authority or the authoritativeness of the source, despite your mighty protestations (I am familiar with the Sokal incident), is still very much a valid and reliable method of information evaluation, just not, as you said, to the exclusion of other information evaluation criteria.

]]>