The intellectual and curricular spaces of knowledge studies Jay H. Bernstein Kingsborough Community College – CUNY

Traditional and new disciplines partaking in the study of knowledge Philosophy Literary studies Art Music History Archaeology Linguistics Cultural studies (e.g., science and technology studies, American studies, women’s studies ) Economics Sociology Psychology Anthropology Geography Political science Management/ Administrative science/ Organizational studies Education Library and information science Computer science Cognitive science, including neurosciences Artificial intelligence Operations research Religion/ theology Law Medical and health professions

The meaning of “knowledge” is elusive

Knowledge as idealized and ethereal

Knowledge as related to information and data

Epistemology (philosophical theory of knowledge) Defining features of knowledge in absolute terms Criteria and conditions Concern for truth, factuality, verifiability Belief is not knowledge unless it is true and justified Analytical methods, often involving hypothetical situations

Sociology of knowledge Knowledge is studied as it is used, shared, created, stored, developed, etc., without concern for referential status or truth-value Knowledge is a social fact that need not be defined ontologically or metaphysically

Knowledge management Knowledge comes from information Knowledge is an asset that can be managed Tacit knowledge should be explicated and shared among team members for the benefit of the firm (and shareholders) Knowledge is a means to an end rather than a good in itself

Knowledge management plusses and minuses Breaks down knowledge in stages of a developmental process Escapes cloistered ivory tower Applies philosophical questions to real world concerns Does not take into account spirit of free inquiry, curiosity Knowledge valued only as means to end Unanalyzed management bias with possible lack of sympathy to labor Strategic role of knowledge underplayed More cheerleading to energize work than objective analysis

Transdisciplinarity Problem based research Aims to integrate knowledge holistically by moving beyond the limitations inherent in disciplinary segmentation Different from interdisciplinary work (collaboration between researchers from different disciplines) or multidisciplinary work (collected inputs from different disciplines without synthesis) Includes academic and nonacademic settings, brings in people being studied as participants on an equal footing as investigators Often aimed at creating socially responsible science – Topics include complex problems (including complexity itself) as well as sustainability, peace and conflict, climate change, nanotechnology

Fritz Machlup ( )

Machlup’s background Born in Austria, earned Ph.D. in economics from University of Vienna at age 21 in 1923 Worked in paper manufacturing industry before becoming an academic in 1929 Emigrated to USA in 1933 Distinguished career as an economist – Consultant to U.S. Treasury and professor at Buffalo, Northwestern, Princeton, and NYU, among others

Machlup’s books on knowledge The Production and Distribution of Knowledge in the United States (1962) Information Through the Printed Word: The Dissemination of Scholarly, Scientific, and Intellectual Knowledge (4 vols.) (1978) Knowledge: Its Creation, Distribution, and Economic Significance 1. Knowledge and Knowledge Production, The Branches of Learning, The Economics of Information and Human Capital, 1984 The Study of Information: Interdisciplinary Messages (ed. with Una Mansfield), 1983

Michael Polanyi ( )

Polanyi’s background Earned medical diploma (1913) followed by a Ph.D. in physical chemistry (1919) at University of Budapest Began academic career in physical chemistry at University of Budapest Worked as a physical chemist in Berlin beginning in 1920 and became a scientist at Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physical Chemistry in Berlin in 1923, but resigned his position in protest of Nazis in 1933 Emigrated to England 1933 to become chair of physical chemistry at Univ. of Manchester Became Professor of Social Science in 1948, but his most important work was in philosophy of science and knowledge Presented Gifford Lectures at Univ. of Aberdeen

Polanyi’s books on knowledge Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-critical philosophy (1958) The Tacit Dimension (1966) Knowing and Being: Essays (1969) Scientific Thought and Social Reality: Essays (1974) Meaning (1975) (coauthored with Harry Prosch)