Knowledge is defined as what is learned, understood or aware of.
- Learning the alphabet.
- Having the ability to find a location.
- Remembering details about an event.
- Human knowledge works at two levels.
At the primary level it functions as the basis of useful human activities, as when a teacher solves Mathematical problems for the students or as when a doctor uses his knowledge to cure diseases.
At the secondary level knowledge is employed to obtain increments in the existing knowledge. The activity that produces this new knowledge is known as research. All research is an advance on existing frontiers of knowledge. It takes us beyond the frontiers of present knowledge. Both breaking fresh ground and improving existing knowledge are the proper functions of research. The activity that produces this new knowledge is known as research. All research is an advance on existing frontiers of knowledge. It takes us beyond the borders of present knowledge. Both are breaking fresh ground and improving existing knowledge and the proper functions of research. However, the research enhances the existing knowledge in an orderly way. This tidiness is to be particularly emphasized. Mere aimless and confused assemblage for new knowledge does not stand for research. The knowledge which accrues from research is verified and verifiable by anybody who may like to do so. The process by which it has been resultant is replicable i.e. it can be repeated and the stated results confirmed.
Methods used as a tool for acquiring Knowledge
However, people have always tried to discuss, understand, clarify, and control the things and events around them. Sense perception, authority, reason, assumption, metaphysics, magic, expert opinion, tradition, personal experience, and science are among the systems that have been used to get knowledge.
Sense Perception
Sense perception was most likely the first method of understanding the surroundings. Empirical knowledge refers to information obtained by the senses, and empiricists think that our senses are the fundamental source of all knowledge. A connected series of notions that help people make sense of a disorderly environment and perform more successfully in it can be defined as sense perception. Although the judgments of sensory perception have been and can be valuable, they can also be incorrect.
There are several types of senses that we have:
- Sight, sound, touch, and taste are the objective senses that tell us about the world.
- The visceral senses, which are located in our mouths and guts, provide us with the sensation of stomach pain.
- The proprioceptive senses are located in our muscles that provide information about the paw.
The initial understanding of the environment possibly came through sense perception. It ranges from experiences and practical judgments in everyday life. The sense perception may be defined as a connected series of concepts that help people to make sense of a chaotic environment and to function more effectively in it. Although sense perception conclusions have been and can be valuable, yet they can be wrong. For example, initial observations of the learning process by psychologists and educators led to the sense perception conclusion that exercise enhances learning i.e. “practice makes perfect”. Observations of highly skilled individuals such as musicians and artists who practice a great deal to perfect their abilities, possibly contributed to this belief. As a result, students have been repeatedly asked to recite the alphabet and multiplication tables and to complete large homework assignments. We can quote here the renowned theorist. In Daily Life Sensations and perceptions shape the way humans see the world. The ability to take in information from and process reality it in meaningful ways allows people to form a worldview that helps them to understand life and make wise decisions.
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Reason
The process of employing known facts to arrive at new facts is called reasoning. Reason can assist us in arriving at new facts or information in this way.
There are two types of reasoning: deduction and induction. Deduction is a type of reasoning commonly used in mathematics, and it is the more certain of the two because it includes extracting accurate conclusions from previously known facts. Induction is more common in science and is less clear because it entails going from a few things you’ve noticed to making broad statements about everything.
Tradition
Certain beliefs and actions are accepted as true and effective simply because they have been done in the past. Generations of knowledge have been passed down. Tradition, on the other hand, may stifle effective problem-solving. We must rely on tradition or custom in order to survive. When faced with a challenge, we frequently turn to tradition for guidance. This ready auditor is quite useful in a variety of tasks and settings.
Authority
People typically seek information from an authority, that is, someone who has had experience with the subject or has some other source of skill, for things that are difficult or impossible to know via personal experience. The word of acknowledged authority is taken as gospel. When a crisis occurs due to an unforeseen circumstance, such as a storm, calamity, or conflict, man frequently finds tradition insufficient. He usually emerges from his self-approval and seeks out new and improved ways of behaving. People used to believe that an authority was proper simply because of the position he or she had, such as king, chief, or high priest. Authority is a convenient and quick source of information. However, authority has drawbacks as a source of knowledge that you must consider. To begin with, authorities can be mistaken. People frequently claim to be experts in an area when they lack the necessary expertise to back up their claims. Second, you may discover that authorities disagree on subjects, showing that their authoritative assertions are frequently more personal opinions than facts.
Rationality
Rationalism is a belief system in which knowledge is attained via reason rather than through direct experience with the universe. It’s also known as metaphysics. It is a national method to understanding the ultimate event and reality. It is concerned with the causes and principles of existent things rather than with personal experience. Rationalism considers human reason to be the only reliable source of information. Rationalists do not believe that religion or experience are required to confirm knowledge.
Magic
Magic is used to gain knowledge, power, love, or fortune in order to heal illness or danger, boost productivity or success in an attempt to hurt an opponent, reveal information, persuade spiritual transformation, trick, or entertain. Magic is divided into two categories. One is contagious, while the other is imitative magic. In imitative magic, people try to reproduce a desired effect by emulating it. Contagious magic, on the other hand, is based on links between objects or events.
Scientific Method
The scientific approach is generally described as a method of gaining knowledge in which investigators move consistently from their observations to the hypothesis and then deducible from the hypothesis to the logical implications of the hypothesis. They deduce the results that would follow if a hypothesized relationship were correct. If the deduced suggestions are agreeable with the organized body of accepted knowledge, researchers then further test them by gathering observed data. On the basis of evidence, they accept or reject the hypothesis. Observed facts are used to generate theories or hypotheses that are compatible with those facts in induction. Similarly, specific suggestions are derived from a theory in deduction. Sometimes, both inductive and deductive methods are used to get knowledge.
Expert opinion
Sometimes in search of knowledge, one can take the testament of experts who, because of their training, intellect, expert experience, or abilities, are better informed than other people. Associates and discussions with experts are also helpful in getting knowledge. The participation of researchers in seminars, conferences, and workshops and listening to the learned specialists are very helpful in getting knowledge and locating research problems. However, an effort must be made to find out whether the specialists are recognized by other authorities on the ground and whether they are in a position to know the evidence about the particular problems under consideration.
More authentic source of knowledge in my opinion
It is human nature to desire to acquire knowledge, but how we acquire this knowledge is a constant debate. Basically, knowledge is the beliefs, ideas, or opinions that are proven true by logical evidence and then they are converted to knowledge. For example, every proven theory in science in the world was once an idea in a scientist’s mind, they had the idea and tried to prove it by logic, they proved their ideas by logic and now those ideas are proven scientific theories and knowledge for us. To find out what is a reliable source for knowledge, perception, or reason first, it should be proved that knowledge is influenced by reason and perception.
Reason is based completely on logic and then formed into knowledge, based on reason anything can be proven right or wrong, but on the other hand, perception is the sense or form of how people see life, it is the only way that they can understand and embrace the meaning of life and its objective.
Reason is one of the most reliable and important sources of knowledge due to its ability to justify and evaluate knowledge through a clear process.
Reasoning is an essential way of knowing that enables the collection of shared knowledge. An example of this can be seen in the scientific method, a process of reasoning that allows scientific theories to be formulated and tested, which is responsible for assisting the creation of various scientific theories that have contributed to the advancement of society.
Without reason, people would not even be able to identify that they had a sensation, there is always a reason for something, then it will lead to a perception. Reason is considered a more reliable source because reason is based on logical evidence that eventually becomes a source of knowledge. However, perception may mislead people into believing something that is not necessarily true.
On the other hand, sometimes perception can be made by reasons already proven and given. Sometimes some reasons about something like a criminal intent give the perception of what is right and what is wrong which still means that reasons were reliable and made reliable perceptions.
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