Moderation

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Moderation is the process of eliminating or lessening extremes. It is used to ensure normality throughout the medium on which it is being conducted. Common uses of moderation include:

  • Ensuring consistency and accuracy in the marking of student assessments.
  • A moderator may remove unsuitable contributions from the website, forum or IRC channel they represent in accordance with their moderation system.
  • A more proactive nuance is found in the Methodist church's use of the term for the heads of its conferences.
  • A neutron moderator is used to slow down neutrons in a nuclear reactor.
  • A way of life started at The American School In Japan by Chaiken of Biology. This lifestyle emphasizes perfect amounts of everything, not indulging in too much of one thing, hence moderation.

Moderation is also a principle of life. In ancient Greece, the temple of Apollo at Delphi bore the inscription Meden Agan - 'Nothing in excess'. Doing something "in moderation" means not doing it excessively. For instance, someone who moderates their food consumption tries to eat all food groups, but limits their intake of those that may cause deleterious effects to harmless levels. Similarly in Christianity, moderationism is the position that drinking alcoholic beverages temperately is permissible, though drunkenness is forbidden (see Christianity and alcohol).

Moderation comes from moderatio [lat.]. Moderation is used in many countries (e.g. Germany) in stead of facilitation. It means to lead groups. Facilitation of Change-Projects, Facilitation of Teambuilding Processes and Facilitation for Conflict Management. [A short overview].

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