This post is not necessarily advice or in depth detailing of various Natures of Knowledge such as the priori or the posteriori or even the extelligence, experience or self-knowledge. This post is rather about how the author interprets the availability and use of knowledge in empirical terms rather than specific denominations thereof. Primarily my divination of acquiring, storing and management of all kinds of knowledge in this super-connected and online world.
As I move along the defined path I will try and categorize the paragraphs and sections for easier reading as per this given structure:
1. Nature of Knowledge
1.1 A priori and a posteriori knowledge
1.2 Descriptive knowledge
1.3 Extelligence
1.4 Experience
1.5 Libre knowledge
1.6 Metaknowledge (knowledge about knowledge)
1.7 Procedural knowledge
1.8 Self-knowledge
1.9 Tacit knowledge
1. Excerpts from Natures of Knowledge
1.3 Extelligence
Most of us do not even realize how deeply and completely we depend on knowledge that exists around us and is the fabric of our surroundings as well as culture and legend. Most of the superstitions lie in this category, but my opinion on them will be elaborated later.
All of us are born in communities which have some form of legends and folk-tales and old-wives tales that have been existing since time immemorial. Thus the legends and superstitions are taken for granted and often then further developed in to destructive and morbid myths that are more often than not scientifically not possible. Culture is also based around tradition and ye olde myths and legends. Thus in my book culture itself is can easily become part of the problem particularly when people say " ... that is how my father and forefathers did so and so..." or " .. that is what my fathers and forefathers believed and so will I".
These days there are educated illiterates roaming around the world believing anything they are told by anyone claiming to be an expert on any subject with any random qualification or certificate to show for it. They are ripe for the picking and ready for exploitation by those who even have the slightest tendency and ability to do so, which pretty much means that the world is up for grabs by itself. As every man woman and child expresses various degrees of selfishness and conceit. All on the basis of culture, traditions, myths, legends, folklore and superstition. This cycle should be broken and it should also be self-explanatory of where we as a human race stand with regards to knowledge and development.
1.4 Experience
The impact surroundings (including people and their actions for or against us) have on us always changes us even if the change is indistinguishable at first. We undergo such affronts to our very being be they positive or not so positive every single moment of our lives. The touch of the mother when we are born to the touch of our lover, everything is an experience in itself. Over time and repetition some experiences do not hold the same awe and feelings for us as compared to something we are experiencing for the very first time. Which is also the reason that in some episodes of CSI (yes I watch TV too) I have noticed the dialogue " ... it was not the same as the first ..." either from the investigator or from the criminal. It can be applied to any facet of our lives from love and hate to anger and happiness and even to less abstract and more physically real aspects such as walking and running or even bungee jumping (something I would love to do again).
Something that most of us take for granted and don't realize when we talk about experience is the simple fact that all experience is subjective and relative to the one experiencing it. For a simple example, the way I feel the wind in my hair is not identical to the way any one of you would; however, the two experiences can easily be very similar. (A side note: they could be so similar that a digital read out would equate them but the analogous human brain would clearly be able to tell the difference). Therefore the pleasure I get from learning how to do Ko Soto Gari (refer my up coming posts on MMA/Jiu Jitsu/Judo) does not equate to my training partner actually feeling the brunt of the throw. That example is for lack of a better example because it shows that the same action is being experienced by two different people in two very opposite ways.
In terms of knowledge, experience is something all of us are completely and entirely dependent up on except for those who have trained themselves to do otherwise. It is a type of acquired knowledge that forms the basis of our future and our future efforts of acquiring knowledge of any kind.
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TO BE CONTINUED .....
Live long and prosper and May the Force be with you. So say we all.
