Knowledge for Whom — All or the Chosen

“You are commercializing knowledge through Knowmatics and the Knowledge Industrial Revolution!” A group of academics from Philosophy, Commerce, Literature and Physics confronted me at a conference. Some were leftists, some deeply religious, and others liberals.

I smiled and asked, “Before accusing me, let us begin with a fundamental question: what is knowledge?”

“Knowledge is abstract, indefinable and perhaps divine,” they replied.

“Religious traditions may attribute knowledge to divine sources. But my research approaches knowledge as a product of Natural Intelligence that can be studied, organized, developed and applied.”

From Monopoly to Democratization

“But how can you commercialize something so precious?” they challenged.

“Throughout history, knowledge has often remained the monopoly of privileged groups. The democratization of scientific and technical knowledge helped transform societies through scientific discovery, technological innovation and industrial development. Yet knowledge democratization remains an unfinished task.”

In my theoretical framework, knowledge is a network of interrelated concepts, organized through mathematical logic and cybernetic principles.

“Knowmatics, which I proposed in 2005, explores the mathematics, cybernetics and engineering of knowledge. Building on Mathew’s Theories of Knowledge Consumption and Production, the Knowledge Industrial Revolution seeks to develop value-added, customized and user-friendly knowledge modules and packages for people across professions and communities.”

Knowledge as Human Empowerment

“Consider a farmer accessing specialized agricultural knowledge, a teacher creating better learning materials, or a young person establishing a knowledge-based enterprise. Knowledge should not remain merely information stored in computers. It must become an instrument of human empowerment.”

“But commercialization can also create monopolies!” one academic objected.

“Certainly,” I replied. “Commercialization alone does not guarantee democratization. The challenge is to make knowledge production sustainable while expanding access, affordability and opportunity. My vision is a Knowledge Industry integrating Artificial Intelligence with Natural Intelligence to empower people and intensify the knowledge content of human and social production.”

They listened thoughtfully. One finally asked, “Doctor, what is your ultimate objective?” My answer was brief:

To move beyond the AI era towards a Knowledge Industrial Revolution in which knowledge empowers everybody, rather than remaining the privilege of a few.

Knowledge for whom — all, or the chosen?