The Acquisition of Knowledge

Many people would argue that knowledge is power, but can too much knowledge be dangerous? How much is too much? Throughout history, the human race has had struggles with “too much knowledge” or going to extreme lengths to gain such knowledge. Is the everlasting quest to know something really worth it? In today’s generation, there is constantly new inventions of technology and theories of science. But maybe knowledge is starting to ruin people’s life and it shouldn’t be sought after. Very similar in the novel Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein deals with the deadly pursuit of knowledge. He is constantly intrigued into

Benjamin Franklin once said “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” So, the question I pose today is how do we involve children so that they learn? How do we spark that want inside of a student to because a lifelong learner. The best way to build students’ knowledge and thirst for greater understanding is by creating connections. Having connections between prior knowledge, different subject areas, the “outside” world, and what is being learned now and in the future will help students to achieve higher levels of thinking, as well as, the twenty-first century knowledge and skills that are needed in the collegiate and professional words today. One way to make these connections is by using integrated thematic units. Inga Randle (1997) discussed the fourth grade students of Barbara Pedersen who were so eager to learn they would willingly skip recess to be in the classroom learning. Pedersen used integrated thematic instruction to inspire her students. So, by learning what an integrated thematic unit is, why integrated thematic units should be used, and how to use integrated thematic units teachers can become more like Barbara Pedersen and prepare students more for independent thinking and higher education.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (Mandela). In discussions of education, Newman argues that there should be a common shared knowledge between people. According to statistics, there are 70% of Americans who do not hold a college degree. Newman’s ideas revolve around the belief that everyone should go to college and pursue a higher education. If Newman’s ideas are implemented in today’s society, there will not only be short term difficulties like a greater demand for teachers and supplies but also long term difficulties with America’s economy. Although Newman’s system sounds like it would create a better world in the surface, it would be one which is hard to apply in today’s American society.

Have you ever wondered how the brain develops while we learn? Dr. Rita Smilkstein’s research on The Natural Human Learning Process was interesting. I now know the parts of the brain and how they work. I know now how we learn and how emotions have an impact on how we learn. As college students, we need to understand how our brains work and how emotions can help us learn successfully, since all college students should want to become successful people in their lives during college and throughout their lives.

In this paper I am going to speak about everything that we studied throughout this semester from the Philosophy class by Professor Matthew Sang, from Plato, Augustine, Descartes, Kant and Sartre in different perspectives. And to predict a brief conclusion regarding of what might be happen next. Every human being should know the past, the present and to think about the future. During this semester we learned many great and bad things that everyone should have known.

It is often said that knowledge is power, however, one’s perspective lies at the heart of what one does with that power. Everything that is, or ever was, considered knowledge, carried a perspective and that perspective acted as a new lens. Through the lens of literature, a theme that is present in certain novels revolves around the dangers of the pursuit of knowledge. These novels suggest that the knower made a mistake in pursuing it and makes the argument that some knowledge should never be pursued. This ambiguity surrounding the ethics of the pursuit of knowledge leads to questions such as: how is a knower’s pursuit of knowledge deemed moral or immoral? Throughout history it is has been seen that scientific discoveries soon turned into toys

History is considered to be one of the subjects in the vast sea of subject that explains not only about the past but also provide us a lot of wisdom. It is a list of events that occurred in the past. Moreover, it provides us with such a vast perspective of the occurrences that happened long back. Nevertheless, we came to know that everything has its own history, whether it is a new development of technology, or development in the field of science, or the introduction of some reforms in religion.

In the world of modern man, knowledge has been a beacon of hope for a better future. This is not due to the inherent nature of knowledge. Knowledge is neither inherently destructive nor is it empowering. It is a matter of who it is that harnesses its great potential. It is as Uncle Ben says “With great power, comes great responsibility”. This is very true when it comes to knowledge. Knowledge can be used both to help and harm, and it is the responsibility of each and every individual to make the right choice with their knowledge.

In 399 BCE, one of the wisest men in history was put to death. This man was not only extremely wise, but also highly influential. He was a leader of the highest caliber. This is Socrates, arguably one of the most prominent men in philosophical history. Socrates is a figure of evolution, when referring to the way people think. He was sentenced to death by the Athenians for corrupting the youth, not believing in the gods recognized by the state, and for introducing supernatural beings. The Athenians were unjust in in their conviction and condemnation to death of Socrates because he helped the youth rather than corrupt it, attempted to abolish ignorance, and provided sufficient evidence of his wisdom.

Empiricist philosophers such as John Locke believe that knowledge must come from experience. Others philosophers such as Descartes believe that knowledge is innate; this way of thinking is used by rationalist. In this paper I will discuss the difference between Descartes rationalism in his essays "The Meditations" and Locke's empiricism in his essays "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding". I will then lend my understanding as to what I believe as the ultimate source of knowledge.

A perpetual conflict emanating throughout all mankind questions the significance of knowledge to human nature, regarding knowledge’s definition, acquisition, branches, and value. Major role models in the foundation of philosophy - specifically, in this essay, Plato and Aristotle - obsess over the significance of knowledge and its importance to and relationship with the development of human beings and their mindsets. Although Plato’s view on knowledge describes the internal predisposed essence of all Forms and the need for a superior being to extract them from the student, Aristotle’s outlook resides as more reliable and realistic due to his beliefs in the premise of knowledge in the sensation and perception, with continuing development in memory, experience, art and science, and, ultimately, true wisdom.

History is an area of study that relies heavily on memory and language. The events that have governed the past are carefully analyzed to evaluate their patterns. The purpose of studying the past is to learn from mistakes in order to not repeat them again. This process evokes a gain in knowledge which helps one make decisions regarding the present and the future. However, if knowledge gained from studying history is not applied in the right manner, is it essentially losing value?

In the Natural Sciences and Religion the gaining of knowledge involves networks of ways of knowing which are often linked together in order to produce knowledge. However, the gaining of knowledge can be centered on academic knowledge production for example, gaining knowledge while working on an academic research otherwise through a process of discovery where knowledge suddenly comes into people. In addition to this, a network can be defined as connections between entities to create an integrated whole. Therefore the entities, being the ways of knowing, result with the integrated whole being the knowledge. The ways of knowing are the means by which we are provided with the essential information and understanding that permits us to gain knowledge within an area of knowledge. Information can be gained while reading, reasoning, observing and talking. Also, since ways of knowing interact with each other, each area of knowledge uses a network of ways of knowing to gain knowledge. In this essay I will discuss, how in order to gain knowledge there is the involvement of a network of ways of knowing. Also, I will be analyzing this question through the perspective of two subject areas : Natural Sciences and Religion.

Everything in the world needs structure, even concepts. Logic is the structure of the relationship between concepts, in other words, logic is the study of thinking itself. Concepts can be organized by mutual exclusion, overlap, inclusion, and mutual coincidence. Also, there are two types of reasoning (logic), deductive and inductive. In philosophy, knowledge can be described as justified true belief. Logic, or reasoning, is used to justify beliefs to determine whether they are true or not. Hence, knowledge is dependent upon logic because logic is needed to justify the true belief. Experience along with logic and reasoning helps to derive knowledge.

Non-application might flout the purpose of knowledge, but it cannot lead to waning of significance. The value of knowledge is idiosyncratic, it can only be appraised from various perspectives, which will also have its own allegations. Thus, knowledge should be acknowledged as an isolated entity and not as a contingent of application. There is an enthralling connection in-between application and value of knowledge. The value of knowledge is intensified by right application. Knowledge will be valuable for eternity, but theoretically. Sometimes practical application may deem some knowledge to be valuable or not, depending on its consequences. Finally, “Knowledge come from learning. Wisdom comes from living.” as rightly said by Anthony Douglas Williams. So what I conclude is we should learn everything as every sphere of life has possibility for supplementary application of shared and personal knowledge. Experience gained from such application helps individuals incur the faculty of wisdom. Thus, knowledge is irreplaceable, it needs to be premeditated, encompassed and buttressed to be of virtuous consumption to