Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

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Stevenct56
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Stevenct56 »

Knowledge is nothing but refined information that we gather from our day to day dealings and over the years, this knowledge becomes what one calls "experience". Just like most things at our disposal, how we utilise these things define whether they're good or bad.

Data - > information - > knowledge - >wisdom.

The above is the standard flowchart. We know that information is actually refined raw data. Implementing it comes as knowledge, but knowledge and wisdom go hand in hand. Before that, let's see what wisdom is. In my opinion, wisdom is the ability to know what's right and what's wrong (though it may differ from person to person) and that is why valuable knowledge can be misused for sinister purposes if they are in the wrong hands. Therefore, the answer to the question has two parts.
1. More knowledge is always good at all times no matter the source and its content, and
2. Here's where wisdom comes into play. How is that knowledge used? When is it used? What is the purpose of using it? What is the objective of using it?

Hence, too much knowledge used with the wrong sense of wisdom will not solve but aggravate your problems beyond unfathomable measure.
Fooloso4
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Fooloso4 »

Knowing the limits of our knowledge may be a solution to some of our problems, specifically problems that arise as the result of acting on things we do not know that we assume we do know. There are, however, things that we do not know that we can come to know. It is, in my opinion, too early to declare that the problem of obesity, for example, is something we cannot solve or that the solution, if there is to be one, will come from somewhere other than advances in our understanding of biochemistry, biophysiology, nutrition, etc.

There is far more educational theory than there is educational knowledge. The problem is not too much knowledge but too many competing goals and interests, too many opinions as to what should be taught and how it should be taught, and too many social and economic problems that schools are burdened with dealing with. I do not think we can draw conclusions about knowledge by looking at the current state of education.

There are various definitions of knowledge and understanding, and so it is not clear that we are confusing knowledge and understanding when appealing to any particular usage of those terms.

There are some who advocate placing limits on the advancement of knowledge but this may very well be a case of not knowing what one does not know. We do not know the benefits and harms that may result. I do not think that less knowledge could be the solution to our problems. It is clear that more knowledge can be the solution to some of our problems, but whatever we know or can come to know we will still have problems.
Eaglerising
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Eaglerising »

Fooloso4 pointed out: “
There are, however, things that we do not know that we can come to know.”
Yes, that is accurate. That is NOT the additional knowledge I was talking about. I am talking about adding more knowledge on to what we already know. We have thousands of books about violence. Accumulating more knowledge about it doesn’t prevent or reduce the amount of violence. We have tons of knowledge about fraud and theft. Additional knowledge about it doesn’t eliminate it.

The point I am making is – knowledge in and of itself does NOT produce understanding which is different from knowledge. Our lack of understanding the difference between them causes us to focus on the “symptoms” of a problem rather than what is causing the symptoms. This is self-evident in that what is commonly viewed, seen, and called “problems” are really symptoms of a problem. Obesity is SYMPTOM of a problem, NOT the problem. Likewise, addiction and violence are really symptoms.

Our lack of understanding prevents us from seeing the elimination of a symptom only produces one or more additional symptoms. A good example of that is prescription drugs. We take drug A to eliminate symptom Z which creates addition symptoms called “side effects.” In turn we take another drug to eliminate the “side effects” which causes additional side effects.

Fooloso4 said:
“There is far more educational theory than there is educational knowledge. The problem is not too much knowledge but too many competing goals and interests, too many opinions as to what should be taught and how it should be taught, and too many social and economic problems that schools are burdened with dealing with. I do not think we can draw conclusions about knowledge by looking at the current state of education.”
His statement collaborates additional knowledge doesn’t resolve a problem; it creates additional symptoms.

Fooloso4 point out:
“There are various definitions of knowledge and understanding, and so it is not clear that we are confusing knowledge and understanding when appealing to any particular usage of those terms.”
The lack of understanding causes that confusion. Unfortunately, thought being our authority is unwilling to consider the possibility that it doesn’t know what it thinks or believes it knows.
Fooloso4
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Fooloso4 »

Eaglerising:
We have thousands of books about violence. Accumulating more knowledge about it doesn’t prevent or reduce the amount of violence.
That is something we do not know. There is an interesting theory that treats violence as an infectious disease. Those who support it claim that this approach will reduce and prevent the amount of violence. Perhaps this is correct, perhaps it is not. We do not know. I do not think that the best approach would be to simply give up on the attempt to understand the problem.
Our lack of understanding prevents us from seeing the elimination of a symptom only produces one or more additional symptoms. A good example of that is prescription drugs. We take drug A to eliminate symptom Z which creates addition symptoms called “side effects.” In turn we take another drug to eliminate the “side effects” which causes additional side effects.
But not all drug therapies are aimed at treating systems. Some are aimed at the elimination of disease.
His statement collaborates additional knowledge doesn’t resolve a problem; it creates additional symptoms.
No, the statement differentiates between knowledge and theory.
The lack of understanding causes that confusion. Unfortunately, thought being our authority is unwilling to consider the possibility that it doesn’t know what it thinks or believes it knows.
But some philosophers have stressed the limits of thought. We can see this in Socrates’ “human wisdom”, Kant’s critique of pure knowledge” and Wittgenstein’s Tractatus. We find it in certain forms of Buddhism such as Zen and Ch’an as well.

You have several times faulted others for not understanding the difference between understanding and knowledge, but have not provided the proper distinction according to your understanding.
Eaglerising
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Eaglerising »

Eaglerisig2's statement
The lack of understanding causes that confusion. Unfortunately, thought being our authority is unwilling to consider the possibility that it doesn’t know what it thinks or believes it knows.

Fooloso4 –
But some philosophers have stressed the limits of thought. We can see this in Socrates’ “human wisdom”, Kant’s critique of pure knowledge” and Wittgenstein’s Tractatus. We find it in certain forms of Buddhism such as Zen and Ch’an as well.
I pointed out one of the flaws about thought when talking about authority.

Fooloso4 –
You have several times faulted others for not understanding the difference between understanding and knowledge, but have not provided the proper distinction according to your understanding.
If you examine my previous points you will see I explained difference between understanding and knowledge several different ways. The following are some:
  • Knowledge is a lower form of consciousness than understanding.

    Knowledge is transferable from one person to another, understanding is not.

    Data, thought, knowledge, and belief are in the same field of existence. Knowledge is unable to access understanding because understanding is in a different and higher field.

    Both thought and knowledge are binary, whereas understanding is multi-dimensional.

    Understanding is the negation of knowledge. It achieves it by it by questioning, challenging, and objectively examining knowledge, as well as venturing into the unknown. The later provides an experience that transforms knowledge into understanding. Unlike knowledge, understanding has no residue. This is why it is called the “negation of knowledge” or the “negation of the known.”

    Understanding views everything as an evolving possibility, whereas thought and knowledge view things as being material, concrete or conclusive.
-- Updated May 8th, 2017, 4:53 pm to add the following --

The following is an addition to Fooloso4’s comment about the various opinions, theories, competing goals and interests regarding education.

We are unable to see all the conflicting knowledge that is contained within our perception (collective memory) like we can examine the contents of a drawer or filing cabinet. Likewise, we are unable to see how it affects us and the countless problems it causes us. Yet, we seldom consider the possibility what we know, think, and belief is inaccurate. The same applies to examining statements which conflict with your perception, belief, and/or knowledge.

You can see and experience the difference between thought (knowledge) and understanding by attentively observing how you feel emotionally and respond to anything that conflicts with our knowledge, beliefs, or perception.

Thought automatically determines, concludes, or judges it. By that I mean, it is right, wrong, true, false, etc. Depending upon your emotional attachment to what is being challenged, you may feel disturbed, anxious, troubled, or angry. In turn, your response is defensive. There are numerous types or forms of defensiveness that aren’t viewed as being defensive such as asking for proof or quoting a popular authority that substantiates your perception.

Someone who is responding in the absence of thought and understands views things as a possibility, free of any judgment. He or she also knows the person responding is relying upon memory as opposed to examining what was stated.

Whether we realize it or not, thought leaves a residue. In other words, there are unmistakable clues, symptoms, or indicators that reveal if someone is responding with thought or understanding. Likewise, a drop of blood leaves valuable clues and indicators that aid forensic scientists. Even if someone used something to remove blood’s residue, what removed it leaves a residue indicating the blood residue had been removed.

The bottom line is, understanding understands thought. On the other hand, neither thought nor knowledge can “understand” understanding.
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Felix
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Felix »

Eaglerising: Our lack of understanding prevents us from seeing the elimination of a symptom only produces one or more additional symptoms. A good example of that is prescription drugs. We take drug A to eliminate symptom Z which creates addition symptoms called “side effects.” In turn we take another drug to eliminate the “side effects” which causes additional side effects.
Fooloso4: But not all drug therapies are aimed at treating systems. Some are aimed at the elimination of disease.
Actually they all merely suppress symptoms, with the exception of immunological treatments such as vaccines.
"We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are." - Anaïs Nin
Fooloso4
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Fooloso4 »

Eaglerising:
If you examine my previous points you will see I explained difference between understanding and knowledge several different ways.
Sorry I missed that. I do not agree with your distinctions between knowledge and understanding. The terms are too broad and elastic to insist that any one set of distinctions between them holds for all cases. I do not, for example, think that all forms of knowledge are transferable. Information is transferable but knowledge is not reducible to information. Knowledge entails insight. Insight is not transferable although there are teaching methods that may help someone gain insight. You might call this insight understanding, but if so then there can be no knowledge without understanding. And in that case understanding is a condition for knowledge.

Felix:
Actually they all merely suppress symptoms, with the exception of immunological treatments such as vaccines.
Immunotherapy (not limited to vaccines) is a big one, but also antibiotics, antifungal agents, antiparasitics. Targeted therapies that work only on infected cells show great promise as cures.
Eaglerising
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Eaglerising »

Fooloso4 –
Sorry I missed that. I do not agree with your distinctions between knowledge and understanding. The terms are too broad and elastic to insist that any one set of distinctions between them holds for all cases. I do not, for example, think that all forms of knowledge are transferable. Information is transferable but knowledge is not reducible to information. Knowledge entails insight. Insight is not transferable although there are teaching methods that may help someone gain insight. You might call this insight understanding, but if so then there can be no knowledge without understanding. And in that case understanding is a condition for knowledge.
It appears you see information and knowledge as being different. Do you see knowledge as being the comprehension of information or something different? It would help if you would defined them. Is insight information, knowledge, or something entirely different? Are you confusing comprehension with understanding?

Immunization protects people from getting a disease, but doesn't eliminate the disease or its source. What is commonly viewed as or called a "disease" is really a symptom. Eliminating the symptom doesn't eliminate the problem.
Fooloso4
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Fooloso4 »

Eaglerising:
Do you see knowledge as being the comprehension of information or something different?
I do not want to get caught up in an argument about the correct definition of terms that are so broad and overlapping.
Immunization protects people from getting a disease, but doesn't eliminate the disease or its source.
If no one on the planet has the disease it has been eradicated. The pathogen may still exist but only in in a lab, as in the case of smallpox. If a person did have a disease but the pathogen was destroyed he or she has been cured.
Eaglerising
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Eaglerising »

Fooloso4 – I agree with you that::
If no one on the planet has the disease it has been eradicated. The pathogen may still exist but only in in a lab, as in the case of smallpox. If a person did have a disease but the pathogen was destroyed he or she has been cured.
Seeing you don't want to define knowledge or comprehension, I will ask this: Are thought and comprehension opposite sides of the same coin?
Or, is thought and knowledge opposite sides of the same coin? In other words, does knowledge and thought have an indestructible relationship with each other; meaning thought cannot exist without knowledge and knowledge cannot exist without thought.
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Burning ghost
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Burning ghost »

Should knowledge be about the solution to fixing problems or about pursuing knowledge for its own sake?

I think I am better off for not knowing what it feels like to be raped or to commit murder. I may be wrong, but I'll not venture into those grounds to find out! I would use the same argument to argue against being willfully ignorant about as much as possible.
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Eaglerising
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Re: Is more knowledge the solution to our problems?

Post by Eaglerising »

Burning ghost –
Should knowledge be about the solution to fixing problems or about pursuing knowledge for its own sake?
Knowledge always seeks more knowledge. It isn't about what knowledge should or shouldn't do. Knowledge isn't separate from thought for they have in indestructible relationship. Meaning, thought cannot exist without knowledge and knowledge cannot exist without thought.
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