We notice several people from different groups, networks and movements devoting much time, effort and care to planet-wide issues related to ecosystems, climate, extractive technology and economics, etc., often referred to as a “metacrisis”. However, the practices of stewarding and curating the knowledge around these vital areas seem not to embody the principles of commoning that we aspire to. Our global challenges are highly complex, but current political views too often take singular perspectives, and each perspective sets the context for its own patterns of what is regarded as valid and valuable knowledge in that context. As the patterns and availability of knowledge shape conscious activity, effective action in the world falls woefully short.
According to the principles of requisite variety, to address these complex issues needs approaches that are at least equally rich and complex, which in turn will need to be supported by knowledge systems arising from multiple perspectives. Both of the present authors have in recent years been exploring how we might build knowledge commons that have the requisite richness, while recognising the disconnect between the complex reality "out there" and the way in which we have been structuring and managing knowledge about those realities. We separately take inspiration from natural non-human living systems, and from the power of collective human dialogue. Relationality is vital.
In this paper we outline our two approaches to this challenge, as there is not simply one clear solution. We thus invite constructive critique, to pick out the most promising valuable aspects of each approach, combining and improving on them. An urgent technical challenge is to build better wikis or wiki-like tools which embody as well as support the patterns relevant to regenerative practice, as well as life-wide learning. On the social and cultural side, we also need to develop the patterns and practices of commoning.
