Biodiversity and Asian attitudes on knowledge

Ng, Francis S.P. (2001) Biodiversity and Asian attitudes on knowledge. [Proceedings Paper]

The drive to systematically study, describe and classify all observable phenomena, including all living things, to build up a unified, global and holistic system of scientific knowledge, began in Europe. In the case of living things, European biologists found huge knowledge vacuums everywhere, even in the old civilizations of India and China. Asians had, and still have, an attitude towards knowledge that is narrowly selective rather than holistic. This is evident not only among the general public, but also among Asian scientists, including many trained in the West. In this paper, Asian attitudes on knowledge are discussed with respect lo how knowledge is acquired, how 'useless' knowledge is treated, how knowledge grows, how it is 'owned', how quality is ensured, how knowledge boundaries are defined, and how knowledge is applied. The management of biodiversity, being in many ways the management of a knowledge resource, would benefit from a clearer understanding of the cultural and institutional constraints that have to be faced.

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Abstract

The drive to systematically study, describe and classify all observable phenomena, including all living things, to build up a unified, global and holistic system of scientific knowledge, began in Europe. In the case of living things, European biologists found huge knowledge vacuums everywhere, even in the old civilizations of India and China. Asians had, and still have, an attitude towards knowledge that is narrowly selective rather than holistic. This is evident not only among the general public, but also among Asian scientists, including many trained in the West. In this paper, Asian attitudes on knowledge are discussed with respect lo how knowledge is acquired, how 'useless' knowledge is treated, how knowledge grows, how it is 'owned', how quality is ensured, how knowledge boundaries are defined, and how knowledge is applied. The management of biodiversity, being in many ways the management of a knowledge resource, would benefit from a clearer understanding of the cultural and institutional constraints that have to be faced.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
Additional Information:	Available at Perpustakaan Sultan Abdul Samad, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. QH75 A1I61 2000 Call Number
AGROVOC Term:	biodiversity
AGROVOC Term:	Indigenous Peoples' knowledge
AGROVOC Term:	cultural values
AGROVOC Term:	ethnobotany
AGROVOC Term:	knowledge sharing
AGROVOC Term:	local communities
AGROVOC Term:	sustainable development
AGROVOC Term:	biodiversity conservation
Geographical Term:	Malaysia
Depositing User:	Nor Hasnita Abdul Samat
Date Deposited:	28 Jul 2025 03:02
Last Modified:	28 Jul 2025 03:02
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/702

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