The thing about a Wiki-type encyclopedia is that individuals can decide what topics
they want to discuss. Gene Coyle, for example, might pen a short essay on electric
power regulation (not to put pressure on him). Someone else would then write an essay
on Marx's assertion that imperialism actually helped India under the Raj. They don't
need to work together (so that the "cats" don't need to be herded). The sticky part is
that someone else could come along and edit an entry, saying that it's no so that it's
only 15 angels that can dance on the head of a pin (rather, it's 35). The key is to
respect the others' viewpoint, to say that there is more than one position on the
angels/pin question, etc. (I can imagine: "The petty-bourgeois revisionist running-dog
position on the angels/pin question says that... while the correct revolutionary
Bolshevick-Leninist would say...")
Jim Devine
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Perelman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Fri 4/2/2004 7:06 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc:
Subject: Re: [PEN-L] leftist encyclopedia
Jim's idea is excellent. I'm not sure about how it would be executed. My
inclination would be to start with 10 or even fewer categories that we
consider to be
crucial. Then perhaps, one by one, consider the concepts that would be
central to
the categories. Say we start with something like profit or capitalism. Then
we can
find out if Jim is right about herding cats.
--
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929
Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
