What is the purpose of knowledge?

Question

Assuming that all life will eventually end, and conciousness is not part of a person's "soul" or persistent energy, does knowledge fulfill any function other than facilitating particular actions in our lives?

Answer 1

Yes, sometimes the pursuit of knowledge is the meaning of life itself. Assuming that we are only here once, why not try to find out everything you can? Why we are here at all is a good start. One could choose an entirely hedonistic lifestyle for the same reason (alas, I can't afford it...dammit!), but I think that, ultimately one would find life a disappointment(especially if you look like I do, and nobody seems to be THAT hedonistic..LOL). If life is indeed pointless, a cosmic accident/joke then at least when you vanish, you'll have the knowledge that you at least tried to figure the whole thing out. You can waste your time in a lot less intelligent ways, such as spending your life in jail.

Answer 2

The purpose of knowledge isn't something that is new to inquire about. Just as much as there has been philosophies on topics covering up what love is and what is justice and what is beyond life and death since ancient civilizations, so has been so with knowledge. Everybody has their own definitions or interpretations on what knowledge is. Some interpret knowledge as ancient wisdom passed along to the next generation through oral tales about days of old that relate to ones culture, Knowledge can also be something that we learned or attained through life experiences we went through. If you think about it the definition of knowledge means this:"Knowledge is what is known. Like the related concepts truth, belief, and wisdom, there is no single definition of knowledge on which scholars agree, but rather numerous theories and continued debate about the nature of knowledge.

Knowledge acquisition involves complex cognitive processes: perception, learning, communication, association, and reasoning. The term knowledge is also used to mean the confident understanding of a subject, potentially with the ability to use it for a specific purpose."

As a young teacher and also as a self-educated person I define the purpose of knowledge is to be that of applying it to what we experience in life and the choices we make, to pass it down to the next generation through teaching so they are to be the inheritors of the future and would be the ones to take our place in society when we're gone since nobody lives forever,knowledge's purpose is to serve almost like a guideline in whatever we do in life. It can be bad if its taught in the wrong way like in teaching hate or it can be good if taught in the right way such as the value of humanity and respecting the environment. Such things as you know equality,fairness..As human beings we aren't only just learners we are also teachers in what we do or show by example and knowledge purpose can also be towards empowering us or enlightening us to what we already know or may not yet know. It's almost like a journey to the questions we have in mind.

Answer 3

Knowledge is the purpose of knowledge.To know is to be.To be is to live.To live is the purpose of life. The more you know the more you can effect change in oneself or the world.The more knowledge you have the better you are and to better yourself is best for all.

Answer 4

So we do not perish for lack of it.