1.5 KiB
RFC-0005: Stewardship
Status: Proposed Phase: The Bedrock Phase
Abstract
This RFC proposes that stewardship, not ownership, be the governing principle for the Open Engineer standard and all contributions to it.
Motivation
The choice between ownership and stewardship is not merely semantic. It fundamentally changes the relationship between contributors, the standard, and future engineers. Ownership implies control; stewardship implies responsibility.
Observation
Across traditions — Indigenous stewardship practices, open-source software culture, professional engineering ethics — the most durable knowledge systems are those governed by stewardship rather than ownership. Knowledge that is "owned" is hoarded, restricted, or lost when the owner departs. Knowledge that is "stewarded" is maintained, extended, and transmitted.
Engineering Principle
We do not own engineering. We steward it. That single word changes the tone of the entire project.
Reasoning
Stewardship aligns with Open Engineer's core mission: preserving engineering context across generations. If the standard were governed by ownership, each generation could legitimately restrict, modify, or abandon the knowledge it received. Stewardship creates an obligation to preserve and improve, ensuring the thread remains intact.
Relationship to Existing Concepts
Stewardship is defined in OE-0009 and paired with Inheritance (OE-0010). It draws on the translation of Indigenous stewardship traditions: "We inherit responsibilities as well as resources."