Myth and Science as a Symbiotic Epistemology

as a Symbiotic EpistemologyAuthor: Nkosinathi Mohau RooibaatjieThis paper advances the thesis that myth and science are not opposing domains but continuous expressions of humanity's search for knowledge. Myths, oral traditions, and material culture are interpreted as proto‑scientific archives—repositories of observation, causal reasoning, and cultural memory. Modern science, in turn, is understood as the institutional refinement of these same impulses, translating narrative into method and hypothesis.The work outlines criteria for evaluating oral and symbolic records, proposes mechanisms for transforming mythic narratives into testable frameworks, and emphasizes the ethical necessity of collaboration with indigenous knowledge holders. By treating myth as epistemic partner rather than rival, the paper calls for a pluralistic model of inquiry that integrates ancestral memory with contemporary scientific practice.Contribution: This approach reframes epistemology as a symbiotic relationship between memory and method, offering both a philosophical manifesto and a practical framework for interdisciplinary research.