Of knowledge and knowing. Two different forms of understanding our world.

[Bear Wild]

In an ongoing debate about evidence, I found it interesting to compare two different types of understanding in our world. For this thread I am using knowledge as the factual knowledge you can read in a book and the way science helps us learn about our world. It is the objective logical cognitive understanding of our world. It is put into words with our language. I am using knowing as the experiential and personal understanding of our world. This is not well measured by the objective logical methods. Words and language can be inadequate in representing this form of understanding our world. This type of knowing is we experience the spiritual or wonderous aspects of our world. Knowing is the way we understand relationships between each other and relationships to the greater world however that extends outward. I will argue here that both ways of understanding our world are different and equally important.

To give an example of this difference I will use walking into a forest. One can read about forests, identify what is in it, use your knowledge to understand the forest. This is knowledge and it is valuable and important. One can enter in the forest and experience it not even necessarily traveling through it but rather finding a location to spend time at, returning throughout the year. Opening one's senses to all around and participate in the communication of the forest all around them. This experience creates a relationship with the forest which cannot be easily translated into words but gives a different but equal way of understanding the forest.

 

[Bear Wild]

To @The Hammer here is my thoughts on two ways of understanding our would. In our secular society we value only the knowledge and often reject the knowing. I argue that both are equally important. The problem with just using scientific knowledge is it cannot connect with the spiritual or guide you in creating appropriate relationships to the greater than human world.

 

[Aupmanyav]

.. it cannot connect with the spiritual or guide you in creating appropriate relationships to the greater than human world.

You can replace the spiritual with social. Greater than the human world? Now, what is that? Intergalactic relationships?

 

[Bear Wild]

You can replace the spiritual with social. Greater than the human world? Now, what is that? Intergalactic relationships?

The greater than human is a term often used in my religion to apply to the rest of the natural world that is not human. In my opinion we shouldn't need this idea but since so many humans falsely see themselves separate from the rest of nature this term is created to remind we should be still connected. And yes replace spiritual with social for you. Our social lives are relationships where the experiential knowing is most important. Thanks for reading the thread.