ABSTRACT
It is often taken for granted that only mainstream science and technologies are universally applicable and that they are superior to the various ways of knowing of different indigenous or local peoples. On the basis of a number of case studies and initiatives of several organisations and institutions engaged in understanding and revitalising local knowledge, the author asserts that local ways of knowing can be considered as expressions of science on their own. They are based on a specific worldview, methodology of learning, epistemology and values of their own knowledge community. These ways of knowing often have three dimensions: spiritual, social and material. In the course of the history, until today these local sciences have been marginalised, partly substituted by mainstream science and have often lost some of their vitality. Local sciences have their weaknesses as well as strengths, but their potential to address contemporary problems is underestimated. This chapter reports on activities that seek to revitalise local sciences and searches for complementarity and co-evolution of different sciences. It asserts that a constructive combination of the diversity of sciences has a better potential to address the multifaceted problems the globe is faced with, than a sole reliance on mainstream science. It suggests that next to biodiversity and cultural diversity, the diversity of sciences may become an important issue in future developments. Two scenarios for inter-science cooperation are presented: one that continues to marginalise local sciences and the other that seeks complementarity and co-evolution of sciences.
