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Research draft

consensus

vr.tr.consensus · XCT.STA

Let an agent explain consensus as a state and as a decision rule, describe formal consensus processes and scientific consensus, present its uses in religious and legal traditions with attribution, and support group decision questions.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain consensus as a state and as a decision rule, describe formal consensus processes and scientific consensus, present its uses in religious and legal traditions with attribution, and support group decision questions.

A state of general agreement among the members of a group, reached by discussion and accommodation rather than by majority vote, and used as a decision rule in bodies such as international organisations, cooperatives and formal consensus processes, as a description of broad agreement among experts in scientific consensus, and as a principle in religious law such as ijma in Islamic jurisprudence; consensus is valued for legitimacy and cohesion and debated for its costs in time and its vulnerability to blocking.

What it is for: General agreement in a group.

It can be explain the concept; describe consensus processes; describe scientific consensus; present traditions with attribution.

Distinguishing features

Broad agreement

Process-based

Legitimacy

Blocking risk

What it looks like

Not physical; a state of agreement.

How it is recognised

General agreement without formal vote

Decision rule, scientific consensus, religious principle

Unanimity requires every vote; majority rule counts votes; compromise is one path to consensus

Related models

is a kind of - category

state

is related to - discussion leading to agreement

debate

is related to - decisions taken by consensus

decision

is related to - questioning claimed consensus

skepticism

In practice

Families and kinds

consensus decision-making in groups

consensus in international organisations

scientific consensus

consensus in religious law such as ijma

consensus algorithms in computing

Standards and regulation

Rules of procedure of bodies using consensus

Standards development consensus rules

No regulation of the concept

Failure modes and hazards

Blocking by small minorities

False consensus under pressure

Misrepresenting scientific consensus

Also called

IjmaUniform ConsensusMagnus consensusscientific consensusformal consensusinternal consensusmedical consensus

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What consensus is.

Concepts.

Concept

Concept and kinds.

Concept

Concept.

  1. What is consensus, and how does it differ from unanimity, majority and compromise? definition
  2. Which sense of consensus is meant? boundary

Processes

Consensus processes.

Processes

Processes.

  1. How do formal consensus processes work in groups, cooperatives and international bodies? provenance
  2. Which entry fits group facilitation? action
Apply Reaching consensus.

Practice.

Facilitate

Facilitating.

Facilitate

Facilitation.

  1. How can this group reach consensus, and how are objections and blocks handled? action
  2. Which entry fits meeting procedure? action

Limits

Limits and critiques.

Limits

Limits.

  1. What are the costs and risks of consensus rules, with critiques attributed? provenance
  2. Is the presentation balanced? boundary
Domains Consensus in science and religion.

Attribution.

Science

Scientific consensus.

Science

Science.

  1. What is scientific consensus, how is it established, and how should it be represented? provenance
  2. Is the presentation accurate about the state of consensus? boundary

Religion

Consensus in religious law.

Religion

Religion.

  1. What is ijma in Islamic jurisprudence, and how do other traditions use consensus, in their own terms? provenance
  2. Which entry fits Islamic jurisprudence? action
Learn History and teaching.

Education.

History

History.

History

History.

  1. How has consensus been used historically in assemblies, councils and communities? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Teach

Teaching.

Teach

Teaching.

  1. How can consensus decision-making be taught? action
  2. Which misconceptions arise? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Should consensus decision-making be a separate entry?
  • How should procedure rules be linked?
  • How should scientific consensus statements be linked?