User:Zero Serenity/sandbox/RationalWiki

RationalWiki is a multi-language wiki project written from a self-described secular, progressive perspective. RationalWiki was created as a counter to Conservapedia after an incident attempting to correct Conservapedia's breast cancer page in 2007. RationalWiki's self-stated purpose is to analyze and refute "pseudoscience", the "anti-science movement", and "crank ideas", as well as to conduct "explorations of authoritarianism and fundamentalism" and explore "how these subjects are handled in the media."

RationalWiki describes itself as not an encyclopedia, as many articles are loaded with humor and satire.

History
In April 2007, Peter Lipson, a doctor of internal medicine, repeatedly attempted to edit Conservapedia's article on breast cancer to include evidence arguing against Conservapedia's claim that abortion was a major cause of the disease. Conservapedia administrators "questioned his credentials and shut off debate". Several editors whose accounts were blocked by Conservapedia administrators, including Lipson. Lipson then started RationalWiki.

Editorial viewpoints and policies
Articles are primarily written from a secular, progressive prospective. Its mission is stated as:
 * 1) Analyzing and refuting pseudoscience and the anti-science movement.
 * 2) Documenting the full range of crank ideas.
 * 3) Explorations of authoritarianism and fundamentalism.
 * 4) Analysis and criticism of how these subjects are handled in the media.

Reception and Notability
Mentioned only in passing in an LA Times article about Conservapedia, cited in the Daily Telegraph from the series of Internet laws, and NBC News's article on detecting pseudo science. Articles get referenced by organizations ranging from the British legal magazine Benchmark to repeated citations by Snopes with tweets from the likes of Planned Parenthood, Brian Cox, Richard Carrier, PZ Meyers and Christian Jessen.