Science, Research & Innovation Policy in Symbiotic Democracy

Core Principle:
Science and innovation are treated as shared human heritage — not private property to be locked away behind paywalls or patents. Research operates on an open, federated, and cooperative model, ensuring discoveries benefit all communities and advance collective resilience.

How It Works

  1. Federated Research Commons

    • All publicly funded or community-funded research enters the Open Research Commons.

    • Findings, data, and methodologies are:

      • Freely accessible.

      • Structured in open schemas for easy AI ingestion.

      • Indexed for cross-community collaboration.

  2. Shared IP & Contribution Tracking

    • Every contributor (person, community, or federation) is recorded in a Contribution Ledger.

    • When research leads to commercial applications:

      • Smart contracts automatically distribute royalties based on contribution weight.

      • Benefits flow to both individuals and their home communities.

  3. Multi-Disciplinary Innovation Hubs

    • Communities create physical and virtual labs open to:

      • Scientists.

      • Makers.

      • Artists.

      • Engineers.

    • Hubs are locally governed but connected globally for rapid knowledge exchange.

  4. Open Peer Review & Community Validation

    • Research is validated through transparent peer review, where:

      • Experts from multiple communities assess methodology.

      • Citizens can review summaries and vote on funding for further development.

    • This democratizes credibility and funding allocation.

  5. AI-Assisted Discovery Networks

    • Community-owned AI tools:

      • Mine global research for patterns.

      • Suggest potential collaborations.

      • Simulate outcomes before physical prototyping.

    • Prevent duplication and accelerate breakthrough timelines.

  6. Problem-First Research Funding

    • Communities propose urgent challenges (e.g., renewable energy storage, pandemic prevention, soil restoration).

    • Federations collectively fund and resource mission-driven projects that address these needs.

  7. Innovation Ethics Councils

    • Every community has an ethics board to assess:

      • Social impact.

      • Environmental cost.

      • Long-term consequences of innovation.

    • Ensures that new technologies serve community well-being, not just profit.

  8. Reverse Knowledge Flows

    • Traditional and indigenous knowledge systems are given equal standing with formal science.

    • Partnerships bridge ancestral wisdom with modern methods, creating hybrid solutions.

Example in Action

  • A Renewable Energy Community develops a new battery technology in partnership with a Rare Earth Materials Community and a Waste-to-Resources Community.

  • The Contribution Ledger ensures all contributors — miners, chemists, coders, and recyclers — receive proportional royalties when the tech is sold.

  • The design remains open source, allowing any community to replicate it locally without license fees.

  • AI simulations predict environmental impact, and ethics councils approve the rollout before mass adoption.

SD - Policy, Symbiotic DemocracyFrancesca Tabor