維基百科是現代百科全書的新類型。它允許自由的知識建構，並將知識開放於網際網路之中。雖然準確性仍是問題，還是在人們的支持下得以維持其知識建構活動。本研究便是去看這維基百科知識建構的正當化過程，以理解其現代性意義。 結果可發現，維基百科知識建構表現了現代性的反思性和知識的高度流動性。從對傳統百科和維基百科的對比中，維基百科的知識內容和制度都具有從過去中反思的特色。並且，由於其知識由網路參與者的共識所決定，因此知識具有高度的流動性。 再進一步觀察維基百科所引發的效果，可見得知識的民主化和可及性提高。知識開始從內容到版面都有了民主的決定方式。開放於網際網路的維基百科知識，使知識能從傳統百科全書中獲得解放，甚至搜尋引擎也有利於更新快、高流動性的維基百科知識的傳播。最後，這些現象說明了現代知識「真理性」的改變。 Wikipedia is a new type of encyclopedia. It allows free construction of knowledge, and knowledge was opened in internet. Despite the problem of accuracy, the construction of Wikipedia knowledge is still highly rely on people's collective consensus. The research is to see the legitimation process of the Wikipedia's construction of knowledge, and to understand the meaning of modernity. As the findings of this research shows, construction of Wikipedia knowledge represents reflexivity of modernity and high liquidity. In comparison to traditional encyclopedia, both contents and institutions of Wikipedia feature reflexivity of modernity. And because knowledge is decided by consensus from internet users, it has high liquidity. The increase of democratization and accessibility are two effects of Wikipedia. The contents of knowledge and its web pages are decided by process of democratization. Started on internet Wikipedia made the opening of knowledge possible. Wikipedia knowledge also have advantages, due to the rapidity of the knowledge search by internet browsers, which updates knowledge immediately. Finally, this phenomenon describe the changing truth of knowledge of nowadays.
