Knowledge and Reason : There are those that believe .....
The pursuit of knowledge is its own goal , is its own virtue. "Knowledge is knowledge about reality. Its base is perception, and its method is reason." The attainment of knowledge primarily through the use of the one unrivaled gift of mankind , Reason ,is in and of itself a moral right. It is beauty. It is its own reward.
There are those that believe knowledge is a weapon to be wielded at the ignorant. There are those that believe that the flaunting of knowledge is self-empowering. There are those who present opinions , feelings , vague notions , or Instincts , and call it knowledge.
It is not.
Reason is the means of integrating our perceptions into concept and gaining knowledge. The method of reason applies the use of logic, deduction, and induction. There are no feelings , Reason is absolute and should only produce emotions at its creation and existence and its beauty , not at fancy espousings , not at its ability to "make one look good" when flaunting a pretense of it. That is whats called Rhetoric , which can be used to attain knowledge when wielded by two or more open and reasoning minds,but more often is simply argumentative,aimed not to
gain knowledge but to confuse it ; the arguing itself is the "Showdog" and the prize.
I know a friend who lost his proof of his knowledge , and he was lost. I felt for him not because of his actual loss but for his misconception that knowledge , or genius , is something that must be "shown" or "flaunted" for it to have worth. By the very definitions I put forth , this is absolutely untrue , and if held as truth by my poor friend , sheds light on his epistemology , and shows it to be mere sophistry.
Signed ,
Who else but the guilty can righteously recognize and accuse
3 comments:
I think your friend would like this article. It may more aptly describe what he was trying to do with his knowledge and the loss he felt. I think what hurt him most was the loss that others will feel by never being able to have the benefit of challenging or refining that knowledge. Reason is only a small portent of knowledge and many would challenge your assessment. I will start with this ember of a challenge to your "reason" and let others fan the flames of truth.
“Knowledge is power.” Indeed, you must have heard this phrase many many times.
Does possessing knowledge and hoarding it give you a sense of security and the perception that it puts you one notch above the rest? Perhaps the sentiment is that hoarding knowledge will benefit us in time to come, which would not be possible if we shared it.
What would your reaction be if you were asked to share knowledge? Would you resist? Share my knowledge? No way! I will be left with nothing… no knowledge… no potential… no future!
Is that really the case? Are we only unthinking beings looking for one brilliant idea to last us a lifetime? If so, by all means hoard whatever knowledge you possess to secure your future.
But let’s stop and think a while. We all know we do not live in a stable, unchanging world. In fact, the world today is dynamic, volatile, constantly changing, constantly evolving. This phenomenon, brought about by the advent of technology, is illustrated simply by the ever-shortening shelf life of products and rising market expectations.
Living in such a world, can knowledge retain its value through time in its original state? It is more likely that it will soon lose its value.
By not sharing our knowledge with others, it will remain in its original state unrefreshed, unpolished and unrefined.
All of us have coached or transferred our knowledge to others, especially skills that are second nature to us. Remember when you did so, and suddenly those routine skills became amazingly clear to you?
Or how about those brainstorming sessions where your ideas, though raw in their initial conception, became startlingly robust and refined through interaction with others in the group?
This constant clarification and exploration with others gives knowledge the chance to be improved and to be internalised. Ironically, this benefits then individuals who shares his knowledge more than those he shares it with. Sometimes, application of knowledge finds strength through numbers. Simply put, it has to be shared and validated with others for it to be incorporated in some work process, event, action or decision. Whether to explain a new way of doing things or to seek necessary collaboration, knowledge has to be shared before it can be applied and improved upon.
Secondly, it is said that we tend to underutilise our mental capacity. We tend to cling on religiously to knowledge when it should be constantly sharpened. Minds that give birth to knowledge should also be constantly challenged. Only by sharing, discussing and exploring ideas with others can we elevate our minds to see what previously unknown or out of sight.
Knowledge is power? Perhaps it is more apt to say: “Knowledge shared and applied empowers.”
Very appropriate article.
I have to admit its truth. I have to agree that my friend should have his forum back to continue sharing knowledge and through debate refining and adding to that base.
I`ll see what I can do to help my friend
Dave had a business thats primary purpose was data retrieval. I will enlist his services in helping find your lost data. I should talk to him today.
Post a Comment