Chapter 1 – Knowledge and Wisdom Across Cultures

Chapter Summary This chapter covers a brief overview of the ancient trails of knowledge through the centers of learning. These trails have become genetic pathways for contemplation over many centuries in Kyoto, Japan; in Nalanda, India; in the Jewish kibotos in Apamea, Phrygia; and in Giza, Egypt. More recently (eighth to thirteenth centuries), astronomy, mathematics, and methodology have been introduced in shrines of learning for the disciples and inmates of these knowledge centers. These seeds of knowledge along the venues of meditation are still based on Aristotle’s notions of universal truisms, beauty and virtue in the minds of saints, gurus, and clergy. In the distant past, these seeds germinated into full blossoms of wisdom through the generations that have followed. Knowledge is many times compared to pristine water in the clouds, rain, and streams, and wisdom is likened to dew drops in the gardens of Eden. Refined thought, art, and generosity blossomed together. Wisdom deeply founded in social justice and fairness evolved much slowly in the prior generations. The very recent pragmatism in sciences has started to demand immediate wealth and ready cash from knowledge. The pathways to progress have become optical fibers in the modern age of digital switches and information highways. Unfortunately, human reflection and refinement of notions have become subservient to the artificial wisdom of machines. The dramatic use of machines and their abuse have replaced the contemplations of the scholars of the past. Historical data bring home the ironic fact that hand-held PDAs (personal digital assistants) are becoming more affable than the spirituality laden scripture of the monks and gurus. Digits have become their beads; micro-programs have become their mantras; and keypads have become the sitars for the Internet-based transformed Vedic scholars. The monuments of technology have become barriers to the vision that unify the pursuit of science with human betterment. Marxist’s concepts of scientific innovation are not slanted toward raw greed for power and wealth. The current uses of machines in the routine activities of individuals, societies, and communities are examined from the perspective of both progress and retreat of social change that machines can catalyze. Much as computers have hastened the financial swings in the stock market, the new wave of social machines is likely to hasten the social swings, as they are already evident by the Internet. Dishonest marketers and spammer quickly take most people into deception-lands. Both the positive and negative implications of the impending social machines are presented. The underlying object to direct the machines to social enhancement rather than its decay is emphasized in this part. As much as traditional computers have hastened the business and commercial activities in the modern societies, the well-primed social machines are poised to hasten the routine of peoples, both intellectually and culturally, and to enrich lives of the world community. Information and knowledge society has further hastened such cycles and accelerated the changes. The knowledge culture of this decade is no longer based on the social laws of the last decade!