Robert Bartholomew: We Can't Value ‘Ancient Wisdom’ Over Scientific Fact

Over the past decade there has been an explosion of interest in indigenous knowledge. The United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa have been at the forefront of the movement to integrate ‘ancient wisdom’ with modern science and decision-making by applying it to everything from public health to climate change. The appeal is both understandable and alluring. For millennia, indigenous cultures have accumulated a vast repository of information that has helped them to adapt and survive. Prior to European contact, the Quechua of the Andes used quinine from the bark of the cinchona tree to treat fevers. It later proved to be the first effective treatment for malaria. Salicin from the willow tree was used by tribes in the Americas to treat pain, fever, and inflammation and led to the development of aspirin. The active ingredient in snakeroot, reserpine, was used for centuries by native peoples in India to treat high blood pressure and was adopted by Western physicians as an early treatment for hypertension. From stellar navigation to sophisticated construction techniques, agricultural innovations, and hunting strategies, indigenous knowledge has made significant contributions to human progress.

David Lillis: Intertwining Knowledge Systems?

Traditional Beliefs in Science?

Dr. Holly Winton has published a thought-provoking piece in The Conversation of 16 July (Winton, 2025). Evidently, Dr. Winton wishes to see intertwining of traditional knowledge with modern global science. My reaction to her piece is that it discusses some appealing traditional ideas about nature, but over-promises on what traditional knowledge can deliver in the world of today. Here I quote from her article and give my reactions.