Ways of Knowing Ways of acquiring knowledge

There are several ways of attempting to  “know something” (acquiring knowledge). Some of them are more reliable than others.

There are several “ways of knowing ” or, more strictly, trying to  “know something” (acquiring knowledge). Some of them are much more reliable than others.

The philosophical study of knowledge is called epistemology. For a belief to be knowledge – it needs to be shown to be true in some way.

Ways of Knowing

There are, in fact, four very significant stumbling blocks in the way of grasping the truth, which hinder every man however learned, and scarcely allow anyone to win a clear title to wisdom, namely, the example of weak and unworthy authority, longstanding custom, the feeling of the ignorant crowd, and the hiding of our own ignorance while making a display of our apparent knowledge.

Credit: Roger Bacon

Empiricism

Empiricism is a way of knowing that relies on observation and sensory experience. It is our primary method of gaining knowledge.

Scientific Method

The scientific method is a way of knowing that systematically collects and evaluates evidence to test hypotheses and answer questions. It is an empirical method of acquiring knowledge.

Rationalism

Rationalism is a way of knowing that uses reason and logic.

Authority

Cognitive authority is a way of knowing where an authority figure we trust states that something is true. It is perhaps the most common method of acquiring knowledge.

Intuition

Intuition is a way of knowing where we rely on our guts, emotions, or instincts to inform us without conscious reasoning.

Custom

Tenacity is a way of knowing based mainly on custom or superstition; it is a belief that exists solely because it has always been accepted.

Descriptive knowledge

Descriptive knowledge, also known as propositional or declarative, knowledge is a way of knowing in which knowledge is represented in a natural or formal language such as mathematics or propositional logic. For instance, a rose is a flower.

Reliability

The following table lists the ways of knowing in approximate order of reliability.

The two most common ways and dangerous ways of knowing are cognitive authority and custom.

Cognitive Authority

Cognitive authority is a dangerous way of knowing as it leads to the delusion of knowledge. By and large, we “know” very little; we trust what others say. We outsource our so-called knowledge to people or authorities we trust and disregard knowledge from people we don’t trust.

Greta Thunberg trusts the scientific community when it comes to global warming. Donald Trump distrusts the scientific community. The issue is not about empirical evidence or lack of knowledge of the scientific method but about who we trust.

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