Custodians as protectors of secrets

In my essay notes and videos about Essay #5 I have generally defined Custodians as bodies or systems that protect and preserve knowledge. However, custodian could have a slightly different meaning. Custodians could be seen as keepers of secret knowledge. If a person is taken into custody it generally means that they are held and imprisoned by the legal system, they don’t have the right to leave, and access to them is tightly controlled. We could also think of the custodians of knowledge as incarcerators of knowledge, locking knowledge away from other knowers, and tightly controlling access to this knowledge.

Maps as Custodians of Knowledge

In the 16th century a building on this site contained some of the most closely guarded knowledge in the world. It was closely guarded because it held the secrets to untold riches, it was closely guarded because the acquisition & production of that knowledge had been hard won & very expensive. It was closely guarded because this knowledge could allow the knower to dominate the western world. In the 16th century the building that stood on this site was The Lisbon Map Factory.

In the 16th century, the Age of Discovery was in full swing, and Portugal was at the forefront of maritime exploration. The Portuguese were making unprecedented voyages to uncharted territories such as India, Africa, and Brazil, seeking to expand their influence and acquire exotic goods. Navigation charts and maps, colloquially known as "cartas" or "portolan charts," were invaluable tools for these journeys. They were much more than mere pieces of paper; they were strategic assets that held state secrets.

Firstly, these charts represented years of hard-won knowledge. The Portuguese had developed sophisticated techniques for cartography and celestial navigation, such as the use of the astrolabe and cross-staff. This knowledge was the result of substantial investment, both in terms of financial resources and human lives. As Portugal's competitors, like Spain and later England and France, sought similar advantages in exploration and trade, the possession of these navigational aids offered a critical edge. Keeping these charts secret helped maintain Portuguese supremacy in oceanic exploration.

Secondly, the charts often contained information about newly discovered trade routes, such as the route around the Cape of Good Hope to India, and the locations of valuable commodities like spices, gold, and ivory. Revealing these routes would not only expose them to competitors but could also lead to piracy, threatening the monopoly Portugal was keen to establish and maintain.

Thirdly, the strategic implications of these charts extended to national security. They included details about fortifications, anchorages, and tides in recently conquered territories. Dissemination of this data could compromise the Portuguese position in these new lands, making them vulnerable to attack or subterfuge by rival nations.

Lastly, the secrecy around navigational charts played a role in diplomatic negotiations. Access to specific cartographic information could be granted as a bargaining chip in treaties or alliances, a valuable concession to be bestowed upon a trusted ally rather than being made available for all.

Custodians of knowledge = keepers of secrets

In summary, the secrecy surrounding oceanic navigational charts in 16th century Portugal was not mere paranoia; it was a calculated and strategic decision to protect national interests. These charts were the keys to untold wealth, influence, and power, and Portugal went to great lengths to ensure that this knowledge remained closely guarded.

Developing the ToK Points from the RLS

From this real life example we can develop some ToK points and knowledge arguments.

We’re arguing that whether we need Custodians of Knowledge partly depends upon roles. Those roles have 3 main elements:

1) The role of the Custodian of Knowledge.

2) The role of the Knowledge Producer.

3) The role of the Knower.

The role of Custodians of Knowledge

Let’s first look at the role of the Custodian of Knowledge. In this case we’re arguing that the Custodians of Knowledge protect knowledge from being shared, they keep it isolated, exclusive, confidential and secret. There are other equally valid definitions of Custodians of Knowledge that I have discussed in my earlier blogs and videos (linked)

The role of the Knowledge Producer.

Next we can look at the role of the knowledge producer. We can think about WHO created the Knowledge and WHY & HOW they created the knowledge. In the case of the 16th Century maps they were created by The Portuguese state at great expense. They were created to give Portugal commercial, financial, and military power. The position in a power hierarchy of the the knowledge producer, how they produced it, and the potential use and consequences of the knowledge produced will influence whether we need a custodian of knowledge, and the type of custodian needed.

The role of the Knower.

Finally we can look at the role of the Knower, or should I say knowers. Because there are different categories of knowers. This is linked to our definition of Custodians of Knowledge - as a ringfencing exclusionary custodian. Therefore, there are those knowers who have legitimate and authorised access to the knowledge, in our case of the 16th C maps this would be the officers in the Portuguese Navy. And then there are those knowers who are outside of the legitimate & authorised custodial circle of knowledge. In the case of the 16th C maps this might be Govts and navies that were competing with Portugal. As such, in terms of knowers we can think of WHO wants to know, and WHY do they want to know.

Purpose

Which neatly brings us to the concept which unites all 3 roles (the custodian of knowledge, the producer of knowledge, and the knower) when trying to answer the question whether we need Custodians of Knowledge.

That uniting concept is one of PURPOSE.

When considering whether we need custodians of knowledge we can ask ourselves:

• What’s the purpose of the Custodian of Knowledge?

• What’s the purpose of the production of that knowledge?

• What is the purpose of the person who produced that knowledge?

When we start to answer the question of purpose we start to come up with a range of answers as to whether we need Custodians of Knowledge.

If you want to know more about Essay #5 May 24 Custodians of Knowledge be sure to check out my earlier videos and blog posts on this title. If you want super-supportive help with this essay check out the TokToday essay guidance notes, those notes are like having a ToK teacher sitting next to you helping you.

Daniel, Lisbon, October 2023

Detailed guidance video for Essay 5 May 24