Developments in Neuroethics and Bioethics, Volume 8 - Chapter Two - Knowing our ways of knowing: A reflection on Western science in relation to Indigenous epistemologies

Writing from the standpoint of a Western researcher with a strong interest in the philosophy of science and Indigenous ways of knowing, I argue that there are greater similarities between Western and Indigenous epistemologies than are often recognized. This is particularly true when one considers the ways (plural) in which Western science actually proceeds, as opposed to the mythologized version of “the scientific method” that is often taught to students. The chapter provides a brief summary of some common features of Indigenous ways of knowing as described by Indigenous scholars, followed by a discussion of how Western science operates as a collection of related ways of knowing. I make the case that the actual process of Western science depends heavily on unacknowledged practices that are embraced within Indigenous knowledge systems and have been for millennia. Similarly, recent “innovations” in Western science education are merely re-discoveries of principles that have long been central to Indigenous pedagogies. In this sense, Western science and education stand to benefit from a respectful and reciprocal engagement with Indigenous ways of knowing and the authentic inclusion of Indigenous colleagues.