Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2010-08-29/Genetic algorithms: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:54, 29 August 2010

Revision as of 20:00, 29 August 2010

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====What is the dispute?====

The dispute is about whether the existence of the generative fixation hypothesis (GFH)---a new explanation for the workings of genetic algorithms that I (Keki Burjorjee) published in my Ph.D. dissertation---should be mentioned in the article on [[Genetic algorithms]]. The edit in question satisfies Wikipedia's three content policies, viz., [[WP:V]], [[WP:NOR]], and [[WP:NPOV]]. The dispute started between [[User:Oli Filth]] and me; however, after I issued an RFC, Oli Filth seems to have abandoned the discussion. The only opposition currently comes from [[User:Glrx]], who got involved as a RFC editor, and has since reverted the edit on multiple occasions. Glrx has accused me of being "too close" to my work to write about it on Wikipedia. I've asked him repeatedly to elaborate on his claim, and to provide evidence that I cannot be objective about my own work. He has not done so; chiefly, I believe, because his claim is based on speculation, and not an acquaintance with the generative fixation hypothesis or the field of genetic algorithms. When pressed to provide evidence that I'm incapable of being objective about the edit, [[User:Glrx]] asks for evidence of "prominent adherents" of the GFH. HisIn demanddoing demonstratesso, ahe conflationis ofconflating the Wikipedia concepts of weight and notability,. andHe is also exhibiting a rather rosy view of the pace at which science progresses in response to revolutionary theories. It is a view that would be amusing for its naivete if only it wasn't so disruptive in the present context.

[[WP:N]] prominently states that the Wikipedia guideline on Notability applies to article ''existence'', not article content. Pointing this out to Glrx makes no difference. Neither does my entreaty to him to consider the harm he might be doing readers seeking an explanation for the adaptive capacity of genetic algorithms, especially genetic algorithms with uniform crossover. (The generative fixation hypothesis is currently the only full-fledged hypothesis that professes to explain the adaptive capacity of genetic algorithms with uniform crossover). Other neutral editors have commented that the mere mention of the ''existence'' of the GFH on the [[Genetic algorithms]] page does not violate [[WP:UNDUE]], and may be very helpful to readers. None of this has made an impression on Glrx.