What is knowledge?

Answer 1

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.

The definition of knowledge is a live debate for philosophers. The classical definition, found in Plato, has it that in order for there to be knowledge at least three criteria must be fulfilled; that in order to count as knowledge, a statement must be justified, true, and believed. Some claim that these conditions are not sufficient, as Gettier case examples allegedly demonstrate. There are a number of alternatives proposed, including Robert Nozick's arguments for requirement that knowledge 'tracks the truth' and Simon Blackburn's additional requirement that we do not want to say that those who meet any of these conditions 'through a defect, flaw, or failure' have knowledge. Richard Kirkham suggests that our definition of knowledge requires that the believer's evidence is such that it logically necessitates the truth of the belief.

In contrast to this approach, Wittgenstein observed, following Moore's paradox, that one can say "He believes it, but it isn't so", but not "He knows it, but it isn't so". He goes on to argue that these do not correspond to distinct mental states, but rather to distinct ways of talking about conviction. What is different here is not the mental state of the speaker, but the activity in which they are engaged. For example, on this account, to know that the kettle is boiling is not to be in a particular state of mind, but to perform a particular task with the statement that the kettle is boiling. Wittgenstein sought to bypass the difficulty of definition by looking to the way "knowledge" is used in natural languages. He saw knowledge as a case of a family resemblance.-

Answer 2

Knowledge is information about things, events, people etc etc
accumulated by man.

What you know about these is your personal knowledge base.
Google is a large knowledge base on the Internet.

Knowledge by itself has no purpose, applying the knowledge is what make knowledge valuable or have a monetary value.

Simple illustration: How to make the perfect hard boil egg.
This is knowledge that many know but you may not know.
So you do not have the knowledge but others have.

Answer 3

Knowledge start in primary school... where you learn to read, write and calculate.

Then come general knowledge about the world and its people.

This is followed by acquiring the full knowledge needed to do the job you choose to do for the rest of your life.

As you grow older... you keep acquiring more general knowledge by reading and listening to other people.
You also become wiser through your own experiences and acquire your own philosophy about life... which is another form of knowledge.

When you are 60... you are so smart that nobody wants to listen to you anymore because younger people are scared to death of smart people.

Answer 4

Knowledge is the conglomeration of life experiences. Everything you learn as you live. The application of knowledge is wisdom, something that many people never really learn (always making the same or similar mistakes time & again).

Good question!

Answer 5

Knowledge is power baby

Answer 6

Knowledge is accumulated information... it is in own minds like cosmic radiation is in a television... pink noise. If it is tuned properly it can be useful, otherwise it is a hampering. Wisdom is the lack of need for knowledge.

Answer 7

well said- the application of knowledge is wisdom in true sense......knowledge is only when u r able balance the things between right and wrong...good and bad...in the end only u and the truth remains......if u apply knowledge in the right place and for a right purpose then it is worth it.......

Answer 8

Knowledge is the total information one has gathered regarding the world in which he or she lives...

Which is a complete stretch from wisdom.

Guess you have a new question now.

Answer 9

read John Henry Newman's essays titled idea of a university knowledge viewed in relation to learning, knowledge viewed in relation to professional skill,

Answer 10

Information gathered through our perceptive senses when duly processed by our faculty of logic, becomes knowledge.