What is the Nature of Knowledge

[Overdog]

The concept of Knowledge has to be one of the most complex notions I have ever wrestled with. There seem to be multiple kinds of knowledge, and multiple ways of knowing. What are the differences between facts, information, and knowledge? How does information become Knowledge? What is the difference between believing something, and knowing something?

 

These are just a few questions I would like to discuss.

[Moontanman]

The concept of Knowledge has to be one of the most complex notions I have ever wrestled with. There seem to be multiple kinds of knowledge, and multiple ways of knowing. What are the differences between facts, information, and knowledge? How does information become Knowledge? What is the difference between believing something, and knowing something?

 

These are just a few questions I would like to discuss.

 

I'm not sure how to answer this, the best I can think of is that belief is something you feel is true with out any reason to back it up and knowledge is something you have direct experience of or evidence you have a good reason to think is true. an example is..... some people believe snakes are unnatural, slimy, deadly, creatures. Others have enough knowledge about snakes to know they are not slimy, most are not dangerous and they are completely natural. Does this make sense for what you are talking about?

[Overdog]

Does this make sense for what you are talking about?

 

Yes, it does. I suppose I should have said at the outset I don't think there is any such thing as a "right" answer to these questions.

 

So are you saying belief becomes knowledge through experience?

[Moontanman]

Yes, it does. I suppose I should have said at the outset I don't think there is any such thing as a "right" answer to these questions.

 

So are you saying belief becomes knowledge through experience?

 

Yeah, sort of, I believe being eaten alive by a shark would be a very horrible experience even though I have no direct knowledge of it. To me belief is some you assume is true even though you have no reason to know or really even have any evidence to suspect it's true. Possibly there should be a third category between the two extremes?

[Overdog]

Yeah, sort of, I believe being eaten alive by a shark would be a very horrible experience even though I have no direct knowledge of it. To me belief is some you assume is true even though you have no reason to know or really even have any evidence to suspect it's true. Possibly there should be a third category between the two extremes?

 

Ok, I think I see your perspective. So would you say the difference between Knowledge and belief is:

 

Belief is what you accept on faith, and Knowledge is rationally justifiable belief?

 

Maybe the third category would be Fantasy?

[freeztar]

I assert that Knowledge is a collection of memories obtained through experience. This seems compatible with what has been discussed thus far.

[Overdog]

I don't disagree with your assertion, but would like to explore this...

 

So let's map this out. (my wife has just suggested another category, Hope.)

 

So, we have:

 

<-- Fantasy - Hope - Belief - Knowledge -->

 

(Just my best guess as to how they would be positioned in the continuum.)

 

To me, I would say the word Knowledge doesn't belong in that continuum.

[Overdog]

I assert that Knowledge is a collection of memories obtained through experience. This seems compatible with what has been discussed thus far.

 

One idea I have heard is that information becomes knowledge when if "fits" into a conceptual framework.

[freeztar]

To me, I would say the word Knowledge doesn't belong in that continuum.

 

I agree.

 

Though those would work, with others, in a group of the functions of the brain.

The continuum idea is interesting though and I hope we explore that more.

 

When does knowledge become wisdom?

[modest]

What is the difference between believing something, and knowing something?

 

I think a lot of Kant's transcendental idealism in his critique of pure reason is right in line with this thread and there's an appropriate quote in the preface of the second addition:

 

I had therefore to remove knowledge, in order to make room for belief

 

which I think is all too often true.

[freeztar]

I know it's not meant literally, but it's interesting to consider the "removal of knowledge". How would one remove knowledge? If it is unremovable, then we may have discovered a quality of knowledge.

[modest]

Denial - Not just a river in Egypt :)

 

In order to believe a lot of things in philosophy, religion and life in general we often have to delude ourselves into denying facts - which literally does remove knowledge. I hate to bring up religion, but it's just the perfect example.

[freeztar]

But with religion, we're talking about belief right?

 

I would argue that denial is a form of belief, or disbelief, rather than a removal of knowledge.

 

For example, I can tell someone that the earth is round and they can deny that and say that the earth is flat. They denied my argument not because they had the knowledge via experience to know that the world was round, but because they believed the world was flat.

[Overdog]

I think a lot of Kant's transcendental idealism in his critique of pure reason is right in line with this thread.

 

Thank you for your input, Modest.

 

I was not aware Kant had said that, but that was where I was heading.

 

So we seem to agree that the difference between Knowledge and Belief is not one of degree but of kind.

 

So, two continuums, one consisting of <-- Fantasy - Hope - Belief -->

 

and another consisting (at the moment ) of only Knowledge.

[freeztar]

and another consisting (at the moment ) of only Knowledge.

 

It seems to me that wisdom would fit to the right of knowledge on the continuum.

[Overdog]

It seems to me that wisdom would fit to the right of knowledge on the continuum.

 

I agree.

 

So,

<-- Fantasy - Hope - Belief -->

<--Knowledge - Wisdom -->

 

Any others any one can think of?

[Overdog]

Ok, if any others come up we'll add them in.

 

So my next question is where emotion fits into the picture.