1 day ago
Banned Wikipedia Editor Accused of Spreading Islamic Golden Age Myths
The article says a former Wikipedia editor named Jagged 85 made many edits about the history of science.
It claims that some edits wrongly said Muslim scholars invented things that existed earlier or were only described by those scholars.
The editor often used real books or papers, but the article says the sources did not support the stronger claims.
Jagged 85 was blocked from Wikipedia in 2012.
Jordan Lasker, who writes under the name Cremieux Recueil, examined several of the disputed examples.
The article says some of these claims later appeared in blogs, books, television programs and academic discussions.
It also criticizes Wikipedia’s editing system and the Wikimedia Foundation’s funding relationships.
Wikipedia is described as presenting itself as a volunteer encyclopedia, while critics argue that a relatively small group controls its content.
The article alleges that Wikipedia editor Jagged 85 exaggerated or fabricated claims about Muslim scientific achievements.
Jagged 85 was blocked and community-banned in September 2012 after thousands of disputed edits.
Critics say the editor misrepresented sources to attribute older discoveries to Muslim scholars.
Jordan Lasker cites examples involving funnels, sublimation, adhesives, parabolic mirrors and Avicennian logic.
The article also alleges that Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation have broader ideological and governance biases.
- Who
- Wikipedia editor Jagged 85, Jordan Lasker, and critics of Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation are central to the article.
- What
- The article alleges that Jagged 85 misrepresented sources and attributed numerous historical inventions and ideas to Muslim scholars.
- Where
- The alleged claims appeared on Wikipedia and later spread through online, media, book and scholarly discussions.
- When
- The disputed editing took place mainly between 2005 and 2012; Jagged 85 was blocked in September 2012. The article also cites a 2024 OpIndia dossier.
- Why
- According to the article, the edits were intended to promote an exaggerated account of Islamic scientific achievement, while critics also use the case to challenge Wikipedia’s neutrality and governance.
Critics’ allegations
Wikipedia’s stated model
Historical accuracy
Critics’ allegations
Critics cited in the article say Jagged 85 stretched or distorted sources, turning descriptions, translations or later discussions into claims of invention and discovery.
Wikipedia’s stated model
The article says Wikipedia presents itself as a free encyclopedia based on public participation and the use of verifiable sources.
Neutrality
Critics’ allegations
The article alleges that Wikipedia’s editorial system favors particular ideological viewpoints and that a small group of editors and administrators controls content.
Wikipedia’s stated model
Wikipedia’s stated approach, as described in the article, relies on policies such as a Neutral Point of View and source-based editorial review.
Editorial responsibility
Critics’ allegations
The article argues that Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation function more like publishers because editors select sources and determine which claims remain online.
Wikipedia’s stated model
The article says Wikimedia maintains that it is an intermediary or platform rather than a publisher, including in discussions involving India.
Key facts
- Editor pseudonym
- Jagged 85, also written as Jagged_85
- Editing period cited
- 2005–2012
- Wikipedia sanctions
- Indefinitely blocked on September 17, 2012, and community-banned on September 22, 2012
- Disputed edit totals
- The article gives conflicting figures, including more than 87,000 article edits and another account citing 8,115 pages and 63,298 edits
- Examples of disputed claims
- Funnels and sieves, sublimation, cheese glue, parabolic mirrors, heliocentrism, evolution and relativity
- Main outside critic cited
- Jordan Lasker, who writes under the pseudonym Cremieux Recueil
- Additional publication cited
- An OpIndia dossier published in 2024
Quotes
Jordan Lasker
American internet personality and writer cited for analyzing Jagged_85’s claims
“Take the claim that Muslims invented funnels and sieves between 721 and 925. Jagged_85 did cite a source, it just didn’t say what it was cited for. What it actually provided readers was a list of laboratory equipment used by Muslim scholars, among which one could find funnels and sieves.”
opindia.com
“What about the claim that Al-Razi invented dissolving substances and discovered sublimation? There was a source cited for this claim too, but what it said was that Al-Razi described their operations, not that he discovered them.”
opindia.com
Sources
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