The metascientific foundations of nuclear knowledge management

It is noted that achievements by metascience are insufficiently used in the development of the theory of knowledge management including nuclear knowledge. The phenomenon of theory deserves paying special attention because knowledge means the theories mastered by people. There is no such knowledge about subjects and objects, processes or phenomena that would not be the representation of theories. That is why the main provisions of metascience are first disclosed by the author in the present paper and following this they are applied for characterization of 15 important problematic issues of the nuclear knowledge management theory.Management of intratheoretical concepts, i.e. the principles, laws and variables, is implemented using four methods, namely, deduction, experiment, induction and correction of the original underlying principles. Management of theories is implemented by the use of three methods: problematization, innovation and interpretation. Multiplication of theory management cycles results in the generation of series of interpretative theories. Subject matter of each separate theory is exposed in the composition of the series from the viewpoint of the most well developed concept. Conclusion is made that series of interpretative theories constitute the basic element (unit) of knowledge.Significant place is occupied in the characterization of outstanding problems of nuclear knowledge management by the correlation between the articulated and practical, as well as between tacit and explicit knowledge. Mechanism is examined for implementation of the discourse leading to the development of the group knowledge. Characteristic is given of the status of competence, skills and hands-on experience of carriers of nuclear knowledge. Approaches to the preservation and development of theories are discussed