Western science and traditional knowledge英文资料.pdfVIP

viewpoint viewpoint Western science and traditional knowledge Despite their variations, different forms of knowledge can learn from each other Fulvio Mazzocchi ultures from all over the world have are used to establish what indigenous …our difficulty in approaching developed different views of nature people know (Berkes, 1993), including the knowledge from indigenous C throughout human history. Many of traditional knowledge or traditional eco- cultures is already reflected in them are rooted in traditional systems of logical knowledge, local knowledge, beliefs, which indigenous people use to indigenous knowledge or science, folk the way in which we describe and name it understand and interpret their biophysical knowledge, farmers’ knowledge, fishers’ environment (Iaccarino, 2003). These sys- knowledge and tacit knowledge. Each of tems of managing the environment consti- these terms carries different implications, ensures their conservation into the future. tute an integral part of the cultural identity and there is an ensuing discussion about Such traditional societies are interested and social integrity of many indigenous which one is the most appropriate. The more in preserving their own social, cul- populations. At the same time, their knowl- word ‘traditional’, for example, places the tural and environmental stability and edge embodies a wealth of wisdom and emphasis on the transmission of knowl- integrity t