Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?

In this exhibition I will examine how the usefulness of a certain type of knowledge greatly depends on the context in which it is being applied. Hence, I will elaborate on the idea that some types of knowledge are more useful than others only when used in the appropriate context, and once the context changes, they may turn out to be trivial, impertinent, or even dangerous.

This object is an iron harpoon head collected by American explorer Alpheus Hyatt Verrill in 1924 during fieldwork sponsored by MAI in Ngöbe-Buglé Indigenous Territory, Panama. It was used for hunting, fishing, and warfare by the Ngäbe – also known as Guaymí – people. They were Central American Indians from Western Panama who heavily relied on agriculture, hunting, and gathering of wild food for their survival (Britannica), which exhibits the importance these types of knowledge had on the Ngäbe people's context.

 

This object is relevant to this exhibition as it illustrates the extent to which a tool, that nowadays can be deemed as totally useless in most urban areas, was pivotal for the survival of the Guaymí people. The harpoon head also underscores the Central American Indians' quest for innovation through the creation of more efficient tools or weapons that fulfill their specific needs. The fact that the Ngäbe people decided to utilize iron, as opposed to wood or stone, to craft the harpoon head indicates they aimed to optimize the weapon's durability and efficiency. Thus, it shows the significance and their constant desire to enhance their knowledge about hunting, fishing, and warfare.

 

Therefore, despite the futility of these types of knowledge in most modern-day cities, it was essential survival knowledge in the context of Central American aboriginals. Similarly, knowledge that can be regarded as basic and fundamental in advanced technological societies, such as driving a car or using a computer, would be totally irrelevant for the Guaymí people. The reason being that contexts are different; hence, the needs, wants, desires, and what is deemed as necessary common knowledge differ. Thus, this object reinforces the idea that some types of knowledge are more useful than others only when used in the appropriate context.

The Einstein-Szilard letter was a letter written by Leo Szilard and signed by Albert Einstein. It was sent to United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 2, 1939 to inform him that recent research suggests “the element uranium can be turned into a new and important source of energy” which might lead to the construction of “extremely powerful bombs” in the immediate future. Thus, they urged the American government to fund and support research in this area. The Einstein-Szilard letter played a crucial role in the establishment of the Manhattan Project, and therefore, the production of the first atomic bombs.

 

I included this letter in my exhibition because it conveyed convenient knowledge in the context of the Allies during WW2, as it gave them an edge over the Axis by developing the world’s first nuclear weapons. Furthermore, it also transmitted knowledge that remains highly functional in advanced technological societies nowadays, such as the U.S. and Russia, as it is not only utilized to enhance nuclear armament, which serves as nuclear deterrence amongst world powers, but also to produce sustainable and clean energy through fission. Moreover, it is also used in relevant day-to-day activities, such as sterilizing fresh products and medical radiation therapies.

 

However, in divergent contexts, this type of knowledge might emerge as completely trivial, unnecessary, and even impertinent, as it might not fulfill the specific needs, wants, and interests of the people in it, such as in the context of indigineous societies like the Guaymí people. Therefore, this letter illustrates that a certain type of knowledge can remain highly worthwhile and convenient when the context slightly changes, as observed in the usefulness of uranium in the advanced technological societies of both the 20th Century and the contemporary world, but totally unnecessary and impertinent when used in a diametrically opposite context, as noted in the futility of knowledge about uranium in indigineous societies.

Aristotle's Politics is a volume that presents Aristotle's complete political writings that date back to the 4th century BC, in which the prominent philosopher comments on ancient Greek society, organization, politics, and economics. In this way, this object exposes pragmatic knowledge in diverse fields in the context of ancient Greece.

 

I chose this particular book as it divulges the types of knowledge that Aristotle considered valuable in the context of ancient Greek city-states, or polis. Thus, I will be able to juxtapose the usefulness certain types of knowledge had in the context of the polis with their functionality in the contemporary world. For instance, in his political writings, Aristotle condoned and defended slavery by arguing that there are both masters and slaves by nature, where the latter lacks rationality and forethought to manage their own lives. He therefore indicated that slavery is both beneficial for the master and the slave and should hence be sought.

 

Aristotle’s recommendations with regards slavery served as a theoretical justification for subjugation and unequal treatment amongst people living in the polis. This, in turn, enforced the premise that the ancient Greek society necessitated an unjust community to flourish and thrive. However, considering Aristotle’s view of slavery for modern-day democratic societies might turn out to be dangerous and menacing since it is founded upon the premise that not all human beings are equal, which challenges the set of values and the paradigm of modern democratic societies. Accordingly, this book illustrates that when context changes, a certain type of knowledge may not only be futile as observed in the harpoon head’s example, but also hazardous and perilous.

Sources for the first object -

https://americanindian.si.edu/collections-search/objects/NMAI_140636?destination=edan_searchtab%3Fedan_fq%255B0%255D%3Dset_name%253A%2522Hunting/Fishing/Warfare%2522

 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Guaymi

 

Sources for the second object -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein%E2%80%93Szil%C3%A1rd_letter

 

Sources for the third object -

https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691173450/aristotles-politics