August 24, 2005

Wikipedia, the open source encyclopedia, has an article on the subject of tort reform. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a wiki is a collective work generated according to a set of rules that permit readers unilaterally to create new output and edit each others' output; the Wikipedia is an online, continually evolving encyclopedia generated according to this method with the help of anyone who wishes to participate, around the world.

The theory is that wiki entries that are incorrect, incomplete or biased can be corrected by other readers who will propose alterations and additions. There is a dispute resolution process and a widely shared ethos that entries should develop toward a "neutral point of view". (Dave Hoffman interestingly discusses the process at Prawfsblog.) The "Tort Reform" entry, so far as I can tell, has tended to evolve in recent months in the direction of being more balanced and useful, in line with the encyclopedia's intent. Newcomers who would like to participate in the process -- and this site reaches many readers who would be well qualified to do so -- should be cautioned that it is wise to get well up to speed about the wiki format and culture before starting to tinker with entries.