Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour 38:1 0021–8308 © 2008 The Authors Journal compilation © The Executive Management Committee/Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2008. Published by Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA. Blackwell Publishing Ltd Oxford, UK JTSB Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour 0021-8308 © 2008 The Author Journal compilation © The Executive Management Committee/Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2008 XXX Original Articles Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing David Yau Fai Ho and Rainbow Tin Hung Ho Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing: Authority Relations, Ideological Conservatism, and Creativity in Confucian-Heritage Cultures DAVID YAU FAI HO AND RAINBOW TIN HUNG HO University of Hong Kong ABSTRACT Throughout history, the generation, exercise, and dissemination of knowledge are fraught with dangers, the root causes of which are traceable to the definition of authority relations. The authors compare Greek myths and Chinese legends, setting the stage for a metarelational analysis of authority relations between teacher and students and between scholar-teachers and political rulers in Confucian-heritage cultures. These two relations are rooted in ideological conservatism. They are related in a higher-order relation or metarelation: Political control and the definition of the teacher-student relationship reinforce each other in consolidating authoritarian values. Thus, ideological conservatism shapes educational philosophy and socialization. It conflicts with present demands for creativity in the service of knowledge-based economies. Hence, a major issue in cultural change to be addressed concerns the dilemma between maintaining authoritarian control and enhancing creativity. Keywords : knowledge, authority relations, ideological conservatism, creativity, Confucianism, methodological relationalism For also knowledge itself is power. —Bacon’s Meditationes Sacrae Dear is Confucius. Dearer still is thought liberation. —first author Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste Brought death into the world and all our woe, With loss of Eden. . . . —Milton’s Paradise Lost Knowledge is not usually associated with danger in people’s minds; nor are social- ization and education with violence. Upon reflection, however, the association of knowledge with danger is as old as humanity itself, at least in the Christian tradition. When Eve, the mother of humankind, ate the fruit of knowledge, she performed the first act of knowledge acquisition by humanity. It was also the first transgression against authority—ultimate authority—that resulted in the fall of humankind. History provides abundant evidence that the generation, exercise, and dissemination of knowledge are fraught with dangers. Works of almost every modern Western philosopher have been included in the Index Librorum Pro- hibitorum, which lists thousands of books censored by the Catholic Church. Violence or threats of violence were invoked in the Inquisition against alleged heretics. Chinese counterparts of censorship and inquisition are legion; notorious examples include the “Burning of the Books and Burying of Scholars” during the