Theory of knowledge

FPEEC
Unit III. Theory of Knowledge
Dr. S.Prakash
TVS Teacher Training Academy
Madurai

Objectives
The student,
• gives the meaning of knowledge
• defines knowledge
• lists the types of knowledge
• states the theories of knowledge
• explains the facets of knowledge
III. Theory of Knowledge FPEEC 2

Meaning of Knowledge
• Knowledge is a familiarity , awareness or
understanding of some one or something ,
such as facts, information, descriptions of
skills, which is acquired through experience or
education, by perceiving, discovering and
learning.
3III. Theory of Knowledge FPEEC

Definition of Knowledge
Plato defined knowledge as
“Justified true belief” though
“Well-adjusted true belief”
is a more complete definition

Meaning of Epistemology
• Branch of philosophy which studies the
relationship between acquisition of
knowledge and the knowledge thus acquired.
• Involves in investigating
1. The development of human knowledge , its
nature and limitations
2. The ways of knowing as well as discriminating
the truth from the false and speculations.

Epistemological Conceptions of
knowledge
Knowledge
in practice
Knowledge of
practice
Knowledge
for practice

Knowledge for Practice
• Among those we have learnt, what we apply
in our life constitute our knowledge.
• Example
Knowledge of Teaching acquired by a Teacher.

Knowledge in Practice
• Actions are more important than thoughts.
• When man reacts with the environment , he
gets experiences.
• Action is the pre-runner for knowledge.
• Learning by doing is the appropriate method.

Knowledge of Practice
• Importance to applications
of Knowledge.
• Knowledge is growing and
expanding
• Existing knowledge to be
applied to new situations.
• Knowledge is that which
leads to further knowledge.

Types of knowledge (depending on
nature)
Knowledge
Apriori Aposteriori Explicit Tacit Propositional
Non-
Propositional

1.Apriori Knowledge
• Apriori means “from the earlier”.
• It implies that a person can derive knowledge
from the world without needing to experience
it.
• Deductive reasoning forms the basis for
arriving conclusions
• Idealism gives prominance

2.Aposteriori knowledge
• Aposteriori means “from the latter”.
• Gain experience through senses and subject
them to logical reasoning(inductive
reasoning)and reflection to derive
understanding(Conclusion).
• Naturalists and Pragmatists accept this.

3.Explicit Knowledge
• More formal and reliable.
• Knowledge that is recorded and
communicated through media like libraries
and databases

4. Tacit Knowledge
• Facial expressions, body movements and
gestures, body language etc. may
communicate information.
• Knowledge thus communicated non-verbally is
TK.
• Opposite to Explicit knowledge (EK)
• EK is easily transferable and TK is almost
impossible to be communicated.

5.Propositional knowledge
• Known as “Descriptive “ or “Declarative
Knowledge”.
• EK is propositional knowledge
• PK is one which can be literally expressed in
propositions.
• It is knowledge of something and not about
how to do something.
• For example, you can learn to use a computer
, but not know how to program a computer.

6.Non-Propositional Knowledge
• Also known as Procedural Knowledge.
• Opposite to Propositional Knowledge.
• Used or applied in specific problems and
situations.
• Gives the rules and guidelines for initiating
legal action, conducting functions and dealing
with administrative problems.

THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE

1. Empirical knowledge
• Developed through observation or
experiment.
• Uses inductive approach in reasoning.

2. Idealism
• Knowledge is primarily acquired by apriori
process
• For example in the form of concepts not
derived from experiments

3. Rationalism
• Primary importance to thinking and reasoning
• Oppose all forms of superstitious and baseless
stories.

Ways of Gaining Knowledge
Sense Perception
Logical reasoning
Understanding emotions
Use of Language

With passage of time....
• Intuition
• Imagination
• Memory
• faith

Areas of knowledge
Maths
Natural
sciences
humanities
History
Arts
Ethics

Facets of knowledge
1. Knowledge as Participation
• Cleaning the neighbourhood
• Home visits to educate young mothers
• Visiting hospitals
• Joining in adult literacy campaigns.

Facets of knowledge
2. Knowledge as content
• What is taught in educational institutions as
outlined by curriculum, syllabus,
textbooks/reference books
• Progress in learning periodically assessed by
oral, written or practical tests.

Facets of knowledge
3. Knowledge as Relation
• Knowledge and learning are related. By
relating what one learns now, what he has
already learnt, his knowledge gets
restructured and refined.
• Knowledge and experience are related. What,
when and how to learn and the interaction
between knowledge and experience goes on.

Facets of Knowledge- Sources
1. Local and Universal
 Expertise in local history
 Problems of people living in the locality
 Resources available for development
 Socio economic data are necessary.
 Feel of ground realities.

2. Concrete and Abstract
Knowledge about things that actually exist
now or existed earlier and are factually found
to be correct are concrete knowledge.
Things which derive meaning , not through
our sensory experiences but from thinking and
reasoning are called abstract things.

3.Practical and Theoretical Knowledge
Taking the shortest route from place A to
Place B is concerned with practical matters.
Theoretical propositions like ‘Total
Prohibition', 'removing Social imbalances’ can
be discussed but not demonstrated before any
audience.

4. Contextual and Textual
Context means circumstances in which something
happens or in which something has to be
considered.
Texts provide lot of information. Text books
provide graded information in a language style
for a particular group taking into consideration,
the physical and mental abilities and
psychological needs.

Forms of Knowledge
Sensory
Experiential
demonstrative
LogicalIntitutive
Revealed
Digital

Sensory Knowledge
• Knowledge acquired through sense perceptions
• It need not be always true.
For example,
To our senses it may appear that sun rises in the
morning and sets in the evening daily which is
not true. According to science, sun rise and
sunset are caused by the rotation of earth around
the sun and not by the movement of sun.

Experiential knowledge
• When sense perceptions are stored in mind as
images and applied in thinking whenever need
arises, such kind of knowledge acquired is
called ‘ Experiential knowledge’.

Demonstrative knowledge
• When we perceive the agreement or
disagreement between two ideas or events
indirectly through a series of intermediate ideas.
• For example, when we are unable to find a
relationship between A and c, we may find it
indirectly trough the use of B, which may have
relations to both A and C. If A is greater than B,
and B is greater than C, then we know
demonstratively A is greater than C

Logical knowledge
When knowledge is acquired through the use
of inductive and deductive reasoning, that
knowledge is known as logical knowledge.

Intuitive knowledge
• When the mind transcends the sensory
perceptions and intellectual reasoning and
gets deeply absorbed in the highest level of
consciousness enabling us to understand
situations, people’s feelings or
agreement/disagreement of two ideas etc.
Immediately without the need for conscious
reasoning or study, it is called intuition

Revealed knowledge
• Knowledge that is beyond human experiences
and revealed by God or the Almighty to sages
and saints or messiahs constitute Revealed
knowledge.
• Example, Vedas, Bible, kuran

Digital knowledge
• Texts and documents stored in the digital form
and is accessible to computers represent
digital Knowledge.
• Developing the skills required to access such
information constitutes digital knowledge.

Differences among
Data information Knowledge
Wisdom

Data
• Sense perceptions regarding objects, persons
or events are recorded in the mind in the form
of data.
• Each small bit of information about a thing
recorded in the mind is called datum.

Information
• Information refers to data that has been given
some meaning by way of reflection/
connection. In computing terms, it is the data
that has been processed.
• When data arranged sequentially with a
purpose it reveals some meaningful
information.

Knowledge
• If we examine the relations among data it
yields information. If the information are
processed with some purpose, we get
knowledge.

wisdom
• Wisdom is the fitting application of
knowledge.
• For example, knowledge understands that
light has turned red in the traffic signal post.
wisdom applies the brake of the car
• Knowledge can exist without wisdom, but not
the other way around.

• Knowledge is knowing how to use the gun.
• Wisdom is knowing when to use it and when
to keep it hoisted.

Review
• Meaning of knowledge
• Definition of knowledge
• Types of knowledge
• Theories of knowledge
• Facets of knowledge

Theory of knowledge

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