There is no single universally accepted doctrine that says the circulation of knowledge should be the central organizing principle of society, but several well-established concepts come very close.

Closest Existing Concepts

Knowledge society

This is probably the closest mainstream term. It is widely used in policy, education, and economics to describe societies that prioritize learning, research, and information exchange.

Learning society

Popularized by thinkers such as Peter Senge and later by economists like Joseph Stiglitz. The idea is that institutions should be designed to maximize society’s capacity to learn.

Epistemic democracy

This approach treats the production and circulation of reliable knowledge as essential to legitimate government.

Open society

Associated with Karl Popper. In an open society, institutions are structured to allow ideas to be tested and corrected.

Noocracy

A more philosophical term for rule guided by collective intelligence and wisdom.

Related Normative Ideas

• Scientific temper
• Knowledge commons
• Deliberative democracy

If You Want a Succinct Principle

You could state the idea as:

“A society should be organized to maximize the creation, circulation, and application of reliable and apposite knowledge.”

That principle aligns most closely with the concepts of knowledge society, learning society, and epistemic democracy.

Best Term Depending on Your Intent

• Policy and social development: Knowledge society
• Education and institutional design: Learning society
• Political philosophy: Epistemic democracy
• Philosophical or visionary framing: Noocracy
• Freedom of inquiry and criticism: Open society

My Recommendation

If you want the most broadly recognized and neutral term, use knowledge society.

If you want to emphasize that institutions should be judged by how well they generate and circulate truth, epistemic democracy is the most precise philosophical concept.