Traditional Knowledge and Modern Science

http://www.scidev.net/en/agriculture-and-environment/editorials/traditional-knowledge-and-modern-science.html

I think that as society has progressed with the vast development of technology, spectators and critics have also begun to assess the effectiveness of such new “conveniences”. With talks of global warming and failed modern systems, more people are now turning to traditional knowledge, lifestyles, and social practices that have sustained tribal people for centuries.

The above link on “Traditional Knowledge and Modern Science” describes how the International Council for Science (ICSU) is trying to form a middle ground between the incorporation and acceptance of traditional knowledge into modern science. This is especially difficult since traditional knowledge is often mistaken for “pseudo-science” which challenges the Darwinian point of view with unscientific claims.

Generally, there is a mutual interest in scientists and indigenous communities to maintain sustainable agriculture and ecological practice. “Such work is likely to increase in importance during this century, both because of the recognition that many environmental problems are local in nature and the need for the cooperation of traditional peoples in addressing global issues,” a report of the ICSU claims.

Perhaps modern society’s greatest challenge is overcoming the “instrumentalist” view that prioritizes scientific techniques to overcome problems. This “encourage(s) a narrow outlook on problems; for example, it can promote agricultural productivity without adequately addressing the disruptive impact of agricultural techniques on ecological cycles.” Since instrumentalist attitudes are so deeply engraved in modern thinking, holistic approaches, a trademark of traditional knowledge systems, are especially encouraged.

Ultimately, reconciliation between traditional and modern science is needed to promote a more sustainable environment and healthier ecological systems. As opposed to being forgotten as a “thing of the past”, more and more scientists are now taking a second look at traditional knowledge and learning from it.

-Sharmin Dingle