Is the accumulation of knowledge any different than the accumulation of possessions ?

Question

As you cant take either with you to the grave , arent each equally futile ?

Answer 1

Knowledge IS a possession.

Answer 2

Just on the basis of what we can take to the grave, we can't conclude something is futile or not. We have to instead think about what is necessary for living. Of course, after death, everything seems meaningless. We should focus on what's necessary while we are alive. I think knowledge is more necessary than possessions. That's just my opinion. Some people might think the other way round. To me, we need money to eat and live and a bit of saving for emergency and fun. The more knowledge you have, the more potential you have to do anything. And the other important thing that we need is a bit of luck. In other words, you gotta be at the right place at the right time. Without that, all your efforts, knowledge and possessions will seem to be in vain.

Answer 3

Perhaps. The accumulation of knowledge usually doesn't take up space in your garage, or your house, or your office ! And, at least theoretically, accumulating knowledge is a heck of a lot cheaper than accumulating wealth, or possessions. Not necessarily EASIER to accumulate,..... but definitely cheaper.

The question of the goals of accumulating knowledge is separate from the actual agglomerating of information, trivial or essential .

Knowledge is a tool. It leads to some use of it, we hope for a fruitful, useful and productive end. But raw knowledge is not wisdom.
Is knowledge futile because we all cannot take it to the grave, as you say? Perhaps you should ask a teacher, or a scientist, or physicist,....or a philosopher. Perhaps it is what we leave behind, bequeathed for the benefit of others. Perhaps it is the only thing of REAL value that we have to leave behind, other than our children.

Answer 4

I think knowledge is more valuable because possessions come and go and sometimes change just because we're bored with it. But knowledge builds and creates. Though some possessions are neccesary, possessions were created with knowledge. Problems have been solved with knowledge. And there's different levels of knowledge. Forget the grave, you're living now. Use what's been given to you for yourself and to help others. You're knowledge might be what's needed. And when you get to your grave, you might leave behind some of you're knowledge with somebody else.

Answer 5

Accumulating knowledge is less likely based in selfishness. Accumulating possessions is more likely to be based in selfishness.
But those are but tendencies. It is all based in one's core motivations in life.
When it comes to a philosophical view on futility, read the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament.

Answer 6

The accumulated knowledge doesn't collect the sort of dust that makes anyone allergic. There is always Trivial Pursuit, too. For material possessions, there's eBay, Goodwill or the dump. The Buddhists would admonish you to study and accumulate knowledge of death, since it is the one certain outcome for all of us. You may as well be ready, eh?

Answer 7

They are equally futile in that sense, yes.

But that is not to say that they are actually futile - they are equally futile in that neither is necessarily futile at all.

Just because you eventually die doesn't mean that you're not alive now. You are, in fact, alive now (unless you died after posting this), and so it is reasonable and sensible to accumulate knowledge and possessions in as much as you enjoy doing so.

Answer 8

I suppose in some sense the answer would have to be yes: when we die a Master's Degree an a BMW become equally worthless.

But in life knolegde if far more important. Knoledge truly is power, and most people regard a intellegent person as more useful then one who is simply rich.

Answer 9

The difference is that knowledge is power. Possessions are just possessions.

Answer 10

I can't say it any better than George Bernard Shaw did about a hundred years ago:

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas."