Indigenous knowledge became absorbed into the growing scientific knowledge system of capitalist society which claimed superior intelligence. As science institutions expanded throughout the world, social structure changed with scientific personnel taking dominant class status. Education became an important agency of transmission of science and has become a matter of calculations and rote learning, not necessarily explained but simply part of science to be accepted on authority as "fact", an isolated, authoritatively established "truth" (Carr, 1998, p63). Science has been isolated from the people and seen as a figure of knowledge and authority, holding a monopoly on the "truth". This system now monitors, coordinates, authorises, legitimates, classifies, and situates theoretically the flow of observational and experimental information (Chambers & Gillespie, 2000).
Modern science involves a process of empirical evidence and causal analysis, requiring continuous capital investment which can only be sustained by governments or multinational capitalist companies (Harvey, 1992). As a reflection of the class structure of our society, the power and funding by the dominating class influences what is studied and how, what questions are asked and which answers will count, benefiting those in higher classes (Levins, 1996, p103). This influences a scientists" evaluation of the truth and has been shown that different groups of scientists in differing circumstances have produced radically different "facts" (Wajcman, 1991, p2). This supports the notion that knowledge is guided by the society of which it is a part.
Participation in science has been male dominated but with the emergence of the women's movement, females are reluctantly permitted to participate in scientific employment and studies, though still hold a marginal minority. As a reflection of society's racial prejudice, races of inferiority are struggling to break into the scientific domain.
