Ikwipedia:Source transparency

Ikwipedia prioritizes transparency over strict verifiability for the sources of claims. Statements from public interviews, podcasts, and firsthand or testimonial accounts are acceptable but should be properly sourced, contextualized, and caveated. Given the fundamental unknowability of anything, factual claims do not need to meet particular standards of verifiability; rather, seemingly questionable claims should merely be transparently sourced.

Secondary sources are useful for showing alignment with mainstream or alternative viewpoints, though they may be scarce for topics lacking mainstream coverage. Ikwipedia's policy on sources seeks to reflect that all knowledge ultimately arises from either direct sensory experience or reports from others.

Philosophical stance on sources of knowledge

Knowledge, whether in science, history, or any other domain, comes primarily from direct observation or the reports of individuals. Textbooks, for example, are authored by scientists who draw from personal research experiences and insights gained from studying others' work in order to synthesize findings from sources such as review articles. Review articles, in turn, reference individual research papers, where data consists of personal observations using the senses or instrument readings. Ultimately, even rigorously reviewed information depends on the honor system, with readers trusting that reported and recorded observations are accurate and genuine. Readers equipped with enough background can theoretically examine both raw data and author interpretations to form their own conclusions. Despite various review layers in knowledge generation, the ultimate source remains individual accounts and records.

Guidance

Reflecting this understanding, Ikwipedia aims to clarify the original human source of any given claim and to transparently present claims based on testimonial accounts. As part of this philosophy, Ikwipedia allows previously published primary sources, including public interviews and firsthand accounts, as well as any sources accepted by Wikipedia. Additional secondary and tertiary sources are preferred but not required.