Not Knowledge

Episode #695

May 28, 2022

Trouble shooting is a process that we must employ every day.
We analyze everything in our environment and act based on the mitigated risks.

The variables of our lives are innumerable. The knowledge we need to correctly assess our moment to moment actions requires a lifetime of experience. Make a serious error in judgement and that lifetime can end abruptly. 

Hard knocks observational knowledge must be supplemented with education, observation, research and curiosity. If you do not see the whole picture you become vulnerable to the unknown.

Human beings have only one fear: fear of the unknown.
This is programmed into humans because it is the unknown that will take us by surprise. Once the unknown is understood you can prepare yourself for its dangers and consequences.

Much of education consists of memorization. This is meant to simulate world experience. Memorized education is forced. It needs to be pounded into you with repetition and discipline. When learning we must employ several levels of understanding:

  1. Listen: hear the material being taught.
  2. Repeat to yourself: say it with your mind’s voice.
  3. Write it down: the act of writing reinforces the knowledge.
  4. Read it aloud: this employs the most senses (seeing, physical movement, feeling and hearing).

This kind of forced memorization serves us well for many things.
We rely more heavily on situational experience.
The gap between memorization and experience must be filled with research.

Research is a process of critical thinking. If given a choice between being lectured on a topic or researching it, i opt for research.
Research consists of asking questions, seeing many sides of a situation, comparing those sides and developing an opinion based on logic.

A lecture on a topic is only part of the picture.
See the whole picture.
That is what research provides.

In the end it is not knowledge that enables us in life. It is our actions.
Our actions must be based on how we interpret what we know.

 

2 Comments

  1. Dan'l Leviton August 18, 2022
    • Rick Thues August 18, 2022

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