There's no doubt that human knowledge has resulted in the truly good and the truly bad. On balance, the good appears to be just slightly ahead of the bad at this time (we're still around, are we not, as a species?). But, what's the trend? Or, is it all just chaotic?
2006-07-10 17:15:24 · 26 answers · asked by tlc 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Nicely said, trueblue88: your succinct, and valid, response captures the thoughts of many of the great answers below.
So, let me drop the syllogism and simply claim that, as humans divorced from nature, our acquisition of knowledge tends to corrupt our very existence. What do you think?
2006-07-11 17:46:12 · update #1
Time is money. Money corrupts. Therefore, time corrupts.
I guess some proverbs just don't make any sense.
2006-07-10 17:38:34 · answer #1 · answered by trueblue88 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Knowledge is only power if you know something that someone else doesn't, or if you use that knowledge to improve your situation. Knowledge is a form of power, but power doesn't always come from knowledge. The corrupting factor isn't power itself, but the lack of balance to keep power from getting out of hand and becoming bad.
Just being around as a species is an inadequate test. We know enough to foresee if we will continue to be around as a species. This is evaluated by our Net Creativity as a species (usefulness(to Nature) created minus resource consumption).
The current trend is toward overconsumption, then population reduction, with possible extinction from disease enhanced by overpopulation and weakened immunity through poor nutrition. The whole knowledge/power idea is based on competitive existence against Nature and each other. Sustainable Net Creativity requires cooperation with Nature and each other. Since the current trend is toward more competition, not less, then we are freakin' doomed idiot consumers.
2006-07-10 17:36:43 · answer #2 · answered by auntiegrav 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knowledge is not power. Knowledge is only potential power in the mind of the holder. Knowledge has to be applied to have any power at all. I have lots of knowledge, but I have no power, at least not in a political or world changing form. But some of the knowledge I have could be used for that, if I so choose.
Power is a result of applied knowledge for a particular purpose. For example, I have knowledge of many ways to kill someone, many ways to run a country or a business, even how to calculate 2 billion digit numbers.
But, I'm not a killer, not a president, or much of a businessman (I do have a business, but I don't use a lot of my business sense sometimes), nor am I known as a mathematician (except compared to some perhaps).
Power can corrupt, especially political power. Just look at the news everyday for proof.
I might agree that knowledge of some things can corrupt our thought processes, though. But knowledge itself has no power until we actually apply it somehow.
2006-07-10 17:30:40 · answer #3 · answered by jeffrey_meyer2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knowledge IS Power, but it depends on how you use that power. Power doesn't always corrupt, it can enlighten ones view.
The trend is even though the world looks like it's in chaos, there are a handful of people working hard trying to prevent the unwinding of everything.
Everyone is born as a person that can be molded to what society wants him/her to be. More people need to have the knowledge that the freedom of choice is the most powerful one can make.
2006-07-10 17:39:26 · answer #4 · answered by dongcat2003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knowledge does not corrupt. Knowledge makes us responsible for what we know. Some people miss use the knowledge they have. It's not the knowledge that corrupts because we have choice, as to what to do with the knowledge we have. If two people can take the same knowledge and have different actions, then knowledge can't be the variable in that case. The knowledge was the same, the reactions were different.
2006-07-10 17:35:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree that this is the case for a lot of people. There have been, are, and will be people who seek knowledge for spiritual (not to be confused with religious) reasons instead of power. It is people like these who truly discover new things, and up the "good" side of humanity. Unfortunately, many think of knowledge as a personal posession, whereas it should be a global posession. We often leave our fellow man behind in our struggle to attain a higher understanding.
I believe we exist in chaos, but I also buy into a lot of the beliefs found in our most ancient civilizations. There are many who believe in intelligent design who would say that everything is guided and it is not chaos at all.
I would argue that nature is the intelligence, and it knows no bounds. Though it sets many rules, it always will break them. This represents chaos to me, and it is not so frightening or disordered as the word implies.
2006-07-10 17:28:49 · answer #6 · answered by mia_violenza 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The simplest of societies are often the most peaceful and utopian like in nature. Although some form of corruption may exist at any social level, as a culture evolves there become more avenues for greed, corruption and selfishness. So you could say, that simply by becoming educated man may have overcomplicated life and ruined the peace.
2006-07-10 17:50:55 · answer #7 · answered by judson d 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knowledge is only potential power. Action is power. It is what one does with the knowledge that counts.
Life seeks balance. Everything in life tries to return to balance, from atoms to water to good and bad. I do not believe one (good or bad) will win out over the other. Although it may seem one side is winning out over the other it is temporary. It will have to return to equilibrium at some point. And at the moment it reaches equilibrium it will again begin to swing to one side or the other.
That is the cycle of life. Find something that does not fit that pattern.
2006-07-10 18:21:01 · answer #8 · answered by bond_wj 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Slight over-exagerration in the premises. Knowledge makes for a certain kind of power, but I would not want to try facing a charging bull with only my education.
And power corrupts only when it is excessive and consuming, as if it were the sole value in life.
But in general you see the trend. Our tech advancements creates problems, that we need MORE tech to try to solve.
We are chasing our own tails.
2006-07-10 18:18:44 · answer #9 · answered by DinDjinn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In context to circumstance I could agree with you. To what end is the knowledge that empowers corruption employed would be my interest, if I were interested in finding any trend to be had. I also agree that all is chaotic, one finds the lucid moments of the masses and then moves forward, I think. Best of luck.
2006-07-10 17:30:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knowledge is power! Education is the great emancipator. Imagine going to court as a defendent and losing because you were to ignorant to know that you were being suckered? Sorry, but I disagree. Knowledge is very important.
2006-07-10 17:21:50 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋