Preserving Knowledge for Future Generation Essay

Preserving Knowledge for Future Generation - Essay Example Preserving Knowledge for Future Generation One of the major treasures that have been destroyed in the process of these disasters is intellectual property and information. Information impacts knowledge to the society and carries a lot of power especially given its capability to influence generations as well as providing continuity in a society. In an attempt to secure knowledge, the current generation has widely advanced and used technology to ensure that information of whichever form is preserved and retrieved when required. Electronic sources are now being used to store whatever knowledge is available. However, the information already lost remains irretrievable thereby creating an inconsistency of knowledge over generations. Quite a big chunk of the historic knowledge has been lost through disasters making us deficient of it and unable to decipher what it was all about. Library destruction has been an issue that has denied the current society of the need to link modernity with some historic knowledge. These destructions have been under the influence of human intents based on certain motivations or just by accident. Human-made activities make the bulk of the destroyed books and other knowledge carrying materials. There are key incidences in history that have led to massive destruction of knowledge. Firstly, the destruction of the Library of Alexandria in the ancient Egypt is one of the landmark knowledge losses in the early history. It is reported that the library contained a collection of many works to the extent of attracting the earlier scholars who are said to have converted the library to be their study base. Many papyrus scrolls and books not only had massive information about the early culture but also knowledge based on religion, philosophy, and economics among other areas. Being one of the early centers of civilization and the proximity with Rome and Greece provided a perfect location knowledge sharing and acquisition. It is not clear whether the library was destroyed by fire or several destruc tive events but it was completely ruined with all the knowledge it carried. Closely related to it was the Library of the Serapeum that became the alternative of the early scholars after the one in Alexandria was destroyed. This library was too destroyed by burning and looting of the resources thereof. Some reports have indicated that the destruction of the library was catalyzed by the order given by Theodosius I, making the library to be burnt to ashes. This led to destruction of the books and scrolls that had remained from the destruction of the Library of Alexandria. The cultural knowledge was the main victim of the two incidences in early Egypt. Another ancient incidence that caused destruction of a wealth of resourceful information is the destruction of Nalanda in India around 1193 AD. Nalanda was one the revered religious learning centers in India; highly regarded for the position that it had given Buddhism. It had wealth of knowledge contained in books that attracted people fr om as far as China, Persia, Greece and Tibet. The great library was destroyed in a war by Muslim army from Turkey, they set fire on it and is reported to have destroyed all the documents and books contained therein. The library was so big that it burnt for almost three months. Apart from the loss of the knowledge that was present in the library resources, the culture as well as Buddhism was adversely affected. In addition, religious affiliated