![]() | This is an
essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of
Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been
thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
![]() | Although this page contains elements of what some warped minds might consider to be humor <nose–in–the–air–sniff>, overall it is intended by the author to be dead serious. |
The Third Opinion Paradox arises from the fact that the Third Opinion Project states that Third Opinions are available under the project only if there are exactly two editors involved in the dispute. Consider the following scenario:
Thus the paradox: User C's opinion was a third opinion but was not a Third Opinion but was a Third Opinion.
The same result would have occurred if User C had become involved in the dispute without ever knowing that the dispute was listed at the 3O project page or before the dispute was listed there. The fact that User C was or was not biased or was or was not neutral would have no effect: the dispute would still be removed for having more than two editors.
The reason is, basically, simple: the Third Opinion Project offers third opinions, not fourth opinions, and is intended for the situation where two editors who are debating a point in full good faith just get "stuck" and can't come to a decision. Once a third editor has entered the dispute, the dispute is no longer stuck. (Indeed, even if a "genuine" Third Opinion is given, it cannot "unstick" them by itself; the dispute will still not be settled until they come to consensus.)
![]() | This is an
essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of
Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been
thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
![]() | Although this page contains elements of what some warped minds might consider to be humor <nose–in–the–air–sniff>, overall it is intended by the author to be dead serious. |
The Third Opinion Paradox arises from the fact that the Third Opinion Project states that Third Opinions are available under the project only if there are exactly two editors involved in the dispute. Consider the following scenario:
Thus the paradox: User C's opinion was a third opinion but was not a Third Opinion but was a Third Opinion.
The same result would have occurred if User C had become involved in the dispute without ever knowing that the dispute was listed at the 3O project page or before the dispute was listed there. The fact that User C was or was not biased or was or was not neutral would have no effect: the dispute would still be removed for having more than two editors.
The reason is, basically, simple: the Third Opinion Project offers third opinions, not fourth opinions, and is intended for the situation where two editors who are debating a point in full good faith just get "stuck" and can't come to a decision. Once a third editor has entered the dispute, the dispute is no longer stuck. (Indeed, even if a "genuine" Third Opinion is given, it cannot "unstick" them by itself; the dispute will still not be settled until they come to consensus.)