UNCTAD Expert Meeting on Systems and National Experiences for Protecting Traditional Knowledge, Innovations and Practices

Various concepts, approaches and methodologies, useful for harnessing the traditional knowledge (TK), are compared. Potentials of a preliminary comprehensive and integrated traditional and scientific knowledge base are discussed – as part of a participatory computer-based decision support system (DSS) for ensuring access, benefit sharing and documentation of TK for sustainable socio-economic development and poverty alleviation in developing countries. Human Knowledge Systems: Scientific versus Traditional The study of human knowledge is as old as human history itself. It has been a central subject matter of philosophy and epistemology since the Greek period. Knowledge has also begun to gain a new wave of attention in recent years. For instance, socio-economic theorists such as Alvin Toffler (1990) and Peter Drucker (1993) call for our attention to the importance of knowledge as management resource and power. In this paper, human knowledge systems are classified into two kinds: formal scientific knowledge (SK) system and traditional knowledge (TK) system. The main difference of these two kinds of knowledge systems is their format. The SK system is essentially in explicit format – can be articulated in formal language including grammatical statements, mathematical expressions, specifications, manuals, and so forth. This kind of knowledge thus can be transmitted across individuals formally and easily. This has been the dominant mode of knowledge according to the (Western) scientific philosophy. However, the format of TK system is mostly tacit – hard to articulate with formal language. This knowledge is embedded in the experiences of indigenous or local people and involves intangible factors, including their beliefs, perspectives, and value systems. 1 The concepts and contents of this paper are reflections of the outcome of the author’s doctoral thesis research at the Department of Geography, Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, Canada. At various occasions, this research was supported by different agencies, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (through a doctoral fellowship), International Development Research Centre (through a doctoral research award), and Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada (through a business research grant). Comments and/or request for further information are very welcome. 2 Doctoral Candidate, Department of Geography, Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada [E-mail: [email protected]]