Editor: Frequently Asked Questions

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==  What

===  Are you //animal rights activists//, like PETA?

We call Philozoÿ an //animal welfare resource//.  Our goal is information rather than advocacy.  Of course, we provide this information with an eye towards changing attitudes.  However, our writing tries to avoid explicit argumentation and focus on facts.

===  Is this a wiki, like Wikipedia, that anyone can edit?

We have some wiki-like features, but editing is more restricted.  See [[#users|Users]] below.  There are also other features, such as forums and metrics.

==  Name

===  What does the name mean?

The word //philozoÿ// is analogous to //philanthropy//, referring to animals instead of people.  A philozoïst thus cares about and works on behalf of animals.

===  Why is there an “umlaut” on the //ÿ//?  Are you a heavy metal band?

The two dots are a diaeresis, such as in the word //naïve//, which is pronounced with two syllables instead of like //waive//.  Similarly, //-oÿ// is not as in //toy// but like the name //Zoë//.  Diaereses are generally optional in writing but (as here) may clarify pronunciation.

==  Why

===  Why care about animals?

We view animals as living beings capable of joy and suffering.  Many who would be upset seeing a dog or cat abused or in pain nevertheless eat food produced through much worse suffering.

===  Animals are stupid and I don't care about them.

Then this site will not be of interest to you.

===  Aren't humans meant to eat animals?

This question would take us into philosophy and even religion, so you'll have to explore it on your own.  I will say that just because something has always been done a certain way or is a certain way in nature does not mean it is right or cannot be changed or improved.  For example, few would argue that humans were not “meant” to receive medical and dental care.

===  Don't animals kill and eat each other?  Should we stop that?

If suffering from what animals do to each other could be safely reduced, it would be worth considering.  However, preventing animals from eating each other in the wild (if that were somehow possible) would likely destroy whole ecosystems to the detriment of all.

Also, carnivores hunting animals in their native habitat is different from the factory farming complexes where animals are penned in for their whole lives.

===  Aren't there benefits to animal husbandry, such as providing animals a safe and stable life?

Yes.  Feel free to use or create a metric which quantifies these benefits, which may defray some of the harms.

===  Do you care about all animals?  What about mosquitoes, tapeworms, and so on?  How about plants?

Many philosophers have considered which animals, or non-animals, have moral value.  While views vary, most accept that simpler lifeforms have less value, perhaps even none.  Again, one can use metrics that quantify such views and include them in computations.  For now, however, we are focusing only on a few commonly consumed animals.

===  Isn't an animal-free diet less healthy?

There is not agreement on this.  However, even diets that recommend animal products generally mandate only small quantities.  This site can help you meet any such quota with a minimum of harm.

==  Users

===  Can anyone use the site?

Anyone with Internet access can read our site.  If you create an account, you can participate in forum discussions, create your own metrics, put up a profile page, and add articles.

Only a few established editors can change the main informational pages.  To propose additions or edits, post in the relevant discussion forum.

===  Can anyone create an account?

Yes.  However, we may block networks which host spammers or other threats, and newly created accounts may be limited at first to prevent misuse.

===  How do I add features like bold and italics to my posts?

We use a custom mark-up language called [[/tachys/|Tachys]], which is still a work in progress and sketchily documented, but fairly easy to use and self-explanatory and similar to other wiki languages.

===  Can I add images or other media?

Adding images is restricted for several reasons, particularly the risk of inappropriate or copyrighted content.  We hope to have a process for this later.

==  Site

===  Is the work here copyrighted?  Is my privacy protected?

See [[/terms/|our terms and conditions]].

===  Is content available in other languages?

For the foreseeable future our sole working language will be English.  Supporting multiple languages would be an additional maintenance burden and divide our small community's efforts.  However, if you are interested in translating informational pages or adding an article in another language to reach a larger audience, we are open to the possibility.

===  Is there a style guide for writing informational pages and articles?

There is currently no formal guide, but we generally follow the norms of American English.  An example starting point is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style|Wikipedia's Manual of Style]], which was designed for the Internet and is well-maintained.

Syntax for footnotes and citations is planned for Tachys, which will help with standardization.

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