Do we underestimate the challenges of taking knowledge out of its original context and transferring it to a different context? discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

The cardiac pacemaker is an example of an invention that resulted from the collabortion of engineering and medical knowledge. This invention has profoundly impacted millions of people with heart diseases, treating their conditions and prolonging their lives. The transfer of knowledge can lead to fundamental inventions or ideas that have changed everything for humanity. Therefore, it is pertinent to explore whether the challenges were taken into consideration when creating these revolutionary inventions. When approaching this question, we understand transfer as the sharing and applying of knowledge, skills, and ideas to a new context. Furthermore, a different context is understood as a set of circumstances (the people making use of the knowledge or the actual use of that knowledge) that are different from where the knowledge was initially created or used. This new context can be both another area of knowledge or another discipline within the same area. The analysis will be based on the Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) of human sciences specifically in psychology and economics, as well as in the arts, specifically in painting and sculpture.

 

When knowledge is transferred, there is usually an initial intention behind it. However, this intention can be overshadowed by the unintended misuse of the knowledge in the new context. People involved in the transfer may not anticipate this misuse, leading to an underestimation of potential negative consequences. In the field of human sciences, discoveries in neuroscience 2 aimed to aid human development, safeguarding it from mental illnesses, and overall fostering a happier existence. Psychologists transfer and promulgate this knowledge to other areas, but the findings have finally been applied for purposes with negative consequences. Understanding how people think gives politicians the ability to create effective political propaganda, marketing directors to induce the selling of a product, cult leaders to persuade the entrance into a cult and some authoritarian leaders to brainwash their population. An illustrative example of this trend is evident in the recent development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Human knowledge from the area of human sciences was transferred to the area of technology, with an unfulfilled initial intention. The Dartmouth conference founded AI as a field of research in August 1955, and defined its initial goal as “how to make machines use language, form abstractions and concepts, solve kinds of problems now reserved for humans and improve themselves” (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, n.d.). Essentially, the aim was to create highly advanced machines with human knowledge, capable of solving problems based on human emotions and reasoning but at a faster pace, optimizing time and resources. However, after 68 years, the realization of the underestimated power of machines and knowledge has come to light. Geoffrey Hinton, recognized as the Godfather of AI, now warns that “these things could get more intelligent than us and could decide to take over” (Hinton, 2023). The emergence of uncontrollable self-aware AI, a direct consequence of being fed human knowledge, may lead to a world where machines progress so rapidly that they become sentiment and act beyond human control, potentially in a malicious manner (Thomas, 2023). Experts underestimated the detrimental consequences of the development of AI, entirely created from the merge of two powerful elements, technology, and human knowledge.

 

In contrast, some experts actively apply their expertise and ethical considerations to mitigate harm and maximize benefits in the knowledge transfer process. With an initial intention guiding the transfer, experts, by staying true to the objective and avoiding decontrol, demonstrate a clear understanding of potential challenges. By keeping a vigilant eye on such possibilities, the underestimation of adverse outcomes can be effectively mitigated through responsible and cautious knowledge transfer practices. In the case of human sciences, the concept of nudging from the area of behavioral economics serves as an illustrative example. In contrast to traditional economic beliefs, humans, influenced by their environment, Often make irrational decisions. When experts understand the cognitive processes influencing consumers, they can identify and address cognitive challenges, such as understanding why a consumer may abandon a filled shopping cart and not complete the purchase. Nudging comes into play as a set of techniques that assist customers in making efficient and informed decisions (Gusmao, 2022). However, the delicate balance between manipula=on and guiding toward the correct solution forces experts to remain highly acentive to ethical considerations that may arise from this practice. Consumers must have access to cost information and feel free to make the final choice. Nudging practices are most commonly observed in supermarkets, with product placement being an example (economics.help, n.d.). For instance, children's toys are frequently positioned on lower shelves in supermarkets, making them easily accessible for them to reach and subsequently convincing their parents to make a purchase. Additionally, in multi-brand supermarkets, it is common to place their brand at eye level to boost sales. Companies typically ensure that the products they want to sell are accessible to consumers, simplifying the decision-making process for potential buyers. Despite this, the price is visible and the ultimate decision to make a purchase relies on the 4 customer. Experts are aware of the ethical considerations behind using strategies to persuade consumers, and that is what prevents this practice from becoming a source of manipulation for businesses to ensure sales.
 

In the Arts, when artists remove cultural symbols from their original context and incorporate them into their creations, they can undergo a dissociation from their initial meaning. This transfer of artistic knowledge can result in a loss of authenticity and is sometimes judged as cultural appropriation by individuals from the original context, sometimes underestimated by the artists themselves. The difference between cultural appropriation and inspiration can be exemplified through the works of Van Gogh and Picasso. Martin Bailey, an expert in Van Gogh, proposed that Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” was inspired by Hokusai’s “The Great Wave” (Brown, 2018). Van Gogh reinterpreted the thrust of the wave to create the swirling of the sky, both in blue. If those pieces were to be compared, the Japanese style, symbols or elements would not be easily seen (Arístegui, 2019). This is considered inspiration, not mere replication, as the inspired piece differs significantly from the original. On the contrary, during Pablo Picasso’s African Period, he relocated African knowledge from its original context to a European one, making replicas with no real understanding. He exposed African culture, symbols, and traditions to the European public, redefining their context, and focused more on stylistic aspects than on their cultural significance, which was dilapidated due to this transfer between contexts. Compositions like Les Demoiselles d’Avignon were appreciated in Europe "Picasso changed history with this work. He replaced the benign ideal of the Classical nude with a new race of sexually armed and dangerous beings” (Cocer, 2011). However, the African community viewed it as cultural appropriation. Ugandan 5 artist Francis Nnaggenda expressed, “People tell me my work looks like Picasso, but they have it wrong. It is Picasso who looks like me, like Africa” (Langland, n.d.). When Picasso drew inspiration from African masks and face paintings, he was unaware of the colonial power he was exerting on the perceptions of the African community (Jones, 2018). While Europeans oZen limited themselves to observing and judging the aesthetic appeal, the African community had a deeper emotional connection to the symbols and traditions, which were diluted in the transference process, leaving the original context’s inhabitants angered by the loss.

 

Finally, artists conduct thorough research and engage in dialogues with experts within a specific field of knowledge when they intend to incorporate that knowledge into their art. They prioritize a profound understanding of the knowledge, emphasizing content over the mere aesthetics of the final project. Bioart, as an artistic style, follows this idea, arising from collaborations between artists and biologists that facilitate the use of living human and animal tissues as materials. The materials used in this field can lead to its emergence being highly provocative, involving numerous technical, logistical, and ethical considerations. Artists within this field do not underestimate the complexities associated with using scientific knowledge. Given their need for access to laboratories, scientific equipment, and a profound understanding of biological processes, they demonstrate their commitment to the learning process instead of embarking on the project without assistance. In cases where human cells are used in artworks, artists consistently obtain a Human Tissue License, displayed during exhibitions to ensure transparency in ethical considerations. Moreover, artists conscientiously address the responsible disposal of biological tissues once the exhibition ends (Solon, 2011). One example of the ethical incorporation of 6 scientific knowledge into art is seen in Edoardo Kac’s creation, The GFP Bunny, a fluorescent rabbit named Alba. This controversial piece resulted from genetic engineering, combining jellyfish and rabbit DNA to create a bunny that glows green under blue light (Kac, n.d.). Despite being criticized by many for potential animal torture, Kac defended his work, saying that the art was made “with great care and with a commitment to respect, nurture, and love the life thus created” (Kac, n.d.). This serves as an example of artists having a clear awareness of the challenges associated with knowledge transfer and acting responsibly throughout the creative process.

 

In conclusion, whether the transfer of knowledge from one context to another is underestimated depends on the nature of the transfer. Anything related to social and human sciences, arts, or humanity in general, lacks the precision found in mathematics. When scientists or experts in their fields predict the trajectory or impact of knowledge transfer, their predictions do not always align with their expectations. This is not an underestimation of challenges but a recogniyion that life does not adhere to exact scientific principles. It is not a macer of underestimating challenges, but an acknowledgment that predicting human behavior and societal changes involves navigating through a sea of variables.

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