Is belief always prior to knowledge?

Question

Plato argues that belief is prior to knowledge in his divided line analogy and allegory of the cave. Augustine of Hippo similarly maintains that he believes in order to understand. But are there instances in which knowledge precedes belief?

Answer 1

In the real sensory (not Platonic) world, knowledge often comes from direct experience, and belief follows ("seeing is believing"). For example, if a child touches a hot stove, he will KNOW that it burns, and will BELIEVE that his mother was right when she said not to touch it (even though he didn't believe it before he touched it).

If you're dealing with things that aren't available to the senses (e.g., supernatural beings), however, then belief is really the only game in town, though one who believes may express it in terms of "knowing."

Answer 2

I would say yes. What one believes and what one knows do not need to be the same, but the belief comes before the knowledge. For example, a child may believe Santa Clause exists before the child knows Santa Clause does not exist. I 'believe' this is the whole point of Plato's Cave.

I am by no means well versed in philosophy though.

Answer 3

Let's see if we can use a very basic example - Thomas doubted Christ and was shown his scars, proof that he was indeed Christ risen from death - knowledge then belief. That is quite a simple and basic example. When the ships did not sail off the edge of the earth ... then it was indeed round and not flat as imagined. Sometimes theories or beliefs are needed to come to conclusions, and then the belief can be proven and claimed as knowledge. And then for others the discovery is made and then the belief comes with the knowledge gained.

Answer 4

I think they go hand in hand. Religion may require belief before knowledge (it depends on what you are talking about), but if you simplify the example they would be similar. If you know there is a lion outside of your door, you believe it. You can believe there is a lion out there, but if you truly believe that and are sane, then you Know there is a lion outside the door from hearing it or seeing it. In school you usually are taught something (you know it) and then you believe it because you see how it works (2+2 will always equal 4) and that it never changes throughout your life. That being said, there are shades of gray on almost every issue.

Answer 5

In other words, the mind for Plato, is also the seat of knowledge. Ideas have been implanted on the mind (beliefs) before it became embedded in the body (knowledge)
In here we are looking at beliefs as forms and thus, knowledge as matter impressed upon by the form. Plato argued that reality is that which consists of two distinctive qualities:form+matter=reality
It is basically telling us that we do have ideas(forms) existing in our minds but in order for us to trully understand them, they must trully should be able to touch-basis with our senses (touch, sight, hearing). For example, we believe there is a leather couch. To formalize this form, we then avail ourselves with the leather material as it wants to assume the form of a couch. The form leather couch is impressed upon the matter-leather.

Answer 6

When I see the word "belief", I think of my Christian faith. I gained knowledge about the Christian faith before my beliefs were cemented. How can we claim to believe anything without knowing the substance behind it?
It is an unfounded belief.
I could say that I believe in the Easter Bunny, but what happens when the knowledge of his fictitious nature comes on my radar screen? The belief before knowledge is gone.

Answer 7

Consciousness itself is arguably directly experiential.Would you accept direct experience of awareness as 'knowledge?'
Since awareness is by definition subjective, it is not really possible to disprove a role for "belief" in the phenomenon that we call consciousness, alas.

Most mystical schools express their goal as the direct experience or knowledge of godhead, or "ultimate truth." This only qualifies as an "instance in which knowledge precedes belief" if you accept the mystical premise, in itself a matter of faith.

Answer 8

no. bc you can know about Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and not believe in any of them. i read part of plato's republic and dont you think the allegory of the cave is kind of like the movie "the Matrix"?

Answer 9

Yes. It is called Eureka and serendipity. The only form of reason that has belief as a starting point is reducto absurdum.

Answer 10

in my opinion - a child will believe as truth whatever a parent or trusted adult tells them - up to the point where they begin to either learn other things for themselves or to question what has been taught them.

therefore I believe both scenarios are true.