ARAB, AFRICAN, AMERICAN, CHINESE

AND INDIAN KNOWLEDGE BANKS: MAKING KNOWLEDGE

ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

DR. RAJU M. MATHEW

IGNORANCE REIGNS OVER ASIA, AFRICA AND LATIN AMERICA

In spite of the great advancements in Education and Information Technology, ignorance reigns over Asia, Africa and Latin America. Poverty and human right violations are the byproducts of Ignorance.

About 80% of the world Muslims, 41% of the world Christians and 54% of the world Hindus live in ignorance, though Islam, Christianity and Hinduism are founded on Knowledge.

We can see a failure of Technology and Religions in solving the basic human problem of poverty and ignorance. Knowledge empowers people. Are they afraid of empowered men and women, boys and girls?

KNOWLEDGE – NO ALTERANTIVE There is no alternative for knowledge, the basis of human

progress and new and just global social order. With Data or Information, nobody can substitute knowledge and empower the humanity.

It is even possible to delink ‘Knowledge’ from educational qualifications. Even among illiterates, there are several knowledgeable persons; even among dropouts, there are innovators and entrepreneurs. At the same time, we can find even Ph. Ds. or Doctors without expertise.

The basic question is making knowledge accessible and helping people to apply Knowledge in their daily life., rather than setting schools or universities. We need more effective and quick means to empower people with Knowledge.

DATA BANKS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

In the early 50s, in connection with the launching of Sputnik, the Russians developed sophisticated algorithms and programming languages besides Data Banks and Information Systems under the umbrella of Informatics, using Cybernetics.

The successful launching of the Sputnik by the USSR in 1957 created a shock wave in the entire west, especially in the USA, that resulted in making sweeping reforms in Education and Scientific Research, besides the establishment of several Data Banks, Information Systems and finally launching of ‘Internet’.

Thereafter, Data and Information start to dominate over Education, Research, Decision or Policy Making, Developmental Planning. As a result, Digital Revolution becomes a reality, digitizing text, sound and visuals. Now we have e-books, digital libraries, digital music or film and even digital prayers and preaching or Virtual Reality Religions , Organizations, Families or Marriages.

DIGITIZED CHILDREN

Digital firms or companies realize that children are the ever lasting market for the digitalized products or services; they deliberately conditioned or programmed the brains of the children so as to make them the addicts of digitization.

A stage has already reached in which children could not make simple calculation using their fingers or the ‘old multiplication table’. Everybody needs calculator to add or subtract or multiple using two single digit numbers. In the next stage, children cannot write anything using a pen or pencil and read a print out.

Once the brains of the children are conditioned in the digitized linear and static way, they can never absorb non-linear and dynamic Visions, Dreams, Knowledge, Innovations and Future Projections. Knowledge will be the most unwanted thing. And there ends innovations.

KNOWLEDGE FOR THE CHOSEN FEW

Even from the time of Abraham in the Bible or the Vedas in Ancient India, ‘ Knowledge’ had been treated as a great secret treasure under the custody of priests and kept away from the common people. They knew that knowledge empowers people who demand more freedom, better living conditions and even create new socio-political systems or new systems of production.

As a strategy, ‘Divinity’ had been attributed to ‘Knowledge’ and even in the 21st century, Schools, Colleges and Universities act as safety valves to prevent the flow of knowledge to the common people but to the chosen people.

KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

With the outbreak of Information Technology Revolution in the early 1980s, an impression was created that there would be a follow up ‘Knowledge and Education Revolution’ thanks to the might of Information Technology.

In spite of virtual schools or universities or smart class rooms, digital libraries, e-learning and interactive learning systems, no revolution in Education or Knowledge has been taken place other than over loading every learner with a unmanageable and indigestible Data or Information.

It becomes increasingly clear that with ‘Algorithms based on Data Structure’, nobody can deal with or manage ‘Knowledge’ and knowledge-based Teaching, Learning, Research, Decision-Making and Professional Practices. This is the failure of IT.

HUMANITY IS AT GREAT RISK

Before IT Revolution, ‘Knowledge’ was there at lest with the ‘chosen few’ in every society, though its accessibility had been denied to the common people, for attributing divinity to Knowledge. Though scriptures are the treasure houses of knowledge evolved through generations, nobody dares to use it for its sacred nature.

After IT Revolution and digitization of education, nobody is there to make use of ‘Knowledge’, other than Data or Information. As a result, the humanity is at a great risk of missing ‘Knowledge’ for Data or Information and deliberately burying down ‘Knowledge’ that humanity has created so far, for ever.

Without using the existing knowledge and creating new knowledge, the brains of the human beings become sterile and a nervous brake down is inevitable with the over-loaded data or information, especially for the little children. It is high time to do something for the very existence of the humanity and its further advancements with the use of knowledge.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE KNOWLEDGE ACCESSIBLE

In spite of all technological advancements and sophisticated systems, we don’t have any technology and system to facilitate greater accessibility of Knowledge by the entire mankind.

Ignorance or the denial of knowledge accessibility and applications is the greatest threat to Globalization, Global Economic and Social Recovery or Reconstruction and even the Peaceful co-existence of nations or societies.

It is high time to develop new science, technology and system for ensuring accessibility of knowledge to all men on earth. In this context we propose, Knowmatics-based Live Knowledge Banks as a solution.

AN ALTERANTIVE APPROCH TOWARDS KNOWLEDGE

Both the traditional approach towards Knowledge and Education and the modern approach towards Data or Information under Information Technology do not make Knowledge accessible to the entire Humanity and thereby encourage the consumption and production of knowledge.

As an alterative, Knowmatics and Knowledge Banks, within the framework of ‘Knowledge industry’ have been proposed. In my previous postings, I have already explained Knowmatics, Mathew’s Theories of Knowledge, Knowledge Industry, Knowledge Bank, especially Arab Knowledge bank and Incompatibility of Information Technology.

ARAB, AFRICAN,AMERICAN,CHINESE AND INDIAN KNOWLEDGE

BANKS In spite of the glorious existence of the UN, UNESCO and thousands

of Non-Governmental Organizations, and diverse national initiatives, over 80% of the humanity lives in ignorance and poverty for their defective methodologies and erroneous approaches towards Knowledge, Education and Empowerment of the people.

Knowmatics and Knowmatics-based Knowledge Banks offer new ways of making knowledge accessible to the millions and thereby empowering them within a short span of time with the effective utilization of the brain power and knowledge bases of the people.

Using the same system, technology and business model, we can set up the Arab, African, American, Chinese and Indian Live Knowledge Banks so as to serve or empower over 90% of the Humanity. The proposal for the Arab knowledge Bank has already been posted .

National Governments, the UN and the other intentional organizations, Private Companies and even Individuals must come forward to make Knowledge Banks a reality so as to make Knowledge Accessible to the entire humanity crossing the barriers of even Illiteracy and culture.