Do all knowledge come from experience?

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   hubby7posted 15 years ago

   It is said that "All knowledge comes from experience". If that is true, can it be argued that we can only know those things that we experiece? If so, can it be argued that our experience limit what we can know? If so, since we don't share all our experiences in common, it follows--does it--that we might not know things that others know since we have not had that experience? Or, to put it in the words of Christ, "Unless you be born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven". Or to put in still other words, how can you know about love unless you first experience it? You might hear about it, but you will never really know it until you experience it first hand. Again, the question is: Does our experience limit our knowledge?

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      blue dogposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      dude, you need to market whatever it is you're smoking, or injecting.

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         hubby7posted 15 years agoin reply to this

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         annvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Lol, lmao, weeew

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      tantrumposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        It looks like your experience is definitely limiting your knowledge

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         hubby7posted 15 years agoin reply to this

           It looks like your experience is definitely limiting your knowledge

         OMG!!

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   PhilD41posted 15 years agoin reply to this

   Hummm... An interesting way to pose the question.  The simple answer would have to be yes.  Without an experience there is nothing to know.  This goes back to the tree falling in the forest and the sound it makes.  Those that are around (animals or people) have the experience to answer this.  It is required for the knowledge of that particular event.  Also true with those that happily make due with very little.  They are happy because the don't 'know' what they are missing.  The experience is absent.
   
   The catch to this is that it does not have to be a personal experience.  I am very capable of gaining knowledge at the expense of someone else's experiences.  I did this for many many years in school.  I can explain in detail the chemical events and physical effects of rocket fuel mixing with oxygen and heat without every having ignited or flown in a rocket.  Someone had to though.  Without their experiences the knowledge wouldn't exist.
   
   Linking this train of logic to love opens a whole other aspect.  Mainly is our knowledge gained from others accurate?  Is it skewed by our own experiences?  Many may have knowledge of love (pick a type) by observation or conversation without having experience it personally.  I expect this may even cause people to act in certain ways in the hope of having a personal experience.  After all, that is what drives millions to the lottery isn't it?
   
   Another thing to keep in mind is that knowledge and understanding are not one and the same.  My 3 year old son can explain that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.  He can even explain that while it is dark here the sun is shining in India.  He has knowledge.  He has no understanding of why it sets or even how.  Planetary orbits are still slightly above him.  In this case, he has knowledge, just not a full understanding.  Again, there is a distortion of knowledge as it applies to understanding based on his experiences.
   
   So, one may know love without experiencing it first.  The understanding of this love will undoubtedly be marred by the limits of their experiences but I don't believe this negates the underlying knowledge.  A simple example would again be my son.  He had the knowledge that chocolate tasted good even though he had never had any.  He gained that knowledge by observing my wife and I enjoy it.  This caused him to seek a personal experience of eating chocolate based on his knowledge.  Once he had some I expect his understanding of the taste and desirability of chocolate changed.  I expect the knowledge that it was good remained though.
   
   At least that is what my experiences tell me.   ;-)
   
   Sorry for the book.  For whatever reason this just sounded fun to respond to.  I didn't proof read it so take it as it is. :-)

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      hubby7posted 15 years agoin reply to this

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         hubby7posted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Your reply is more convoluted and lengthier than my question. Blue dog might think that we both smoking the same stuff. But on a more serious note, I agree that we can not only know things first hand through direct experience, but that we can also come to know things indirectly through the experience of others. One thing I do disagree with you on is your statement that "I expect the knowledge that it was good remained though". Chocolate, I would tend to argue is neither good nor bad. It's neutral. Whether it is good or bad is attributed to it by those who are doing the tasting. If you said that knowledge that chocolate is good to both you and your wife, you suspect, will remain with him, then I would be in total agreement with you. Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

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            PhilD41posted 15 years agoin reply to this

            Except I was making a comment on knowledge I had gained by observing him.  His understanding of the knowledge he received by watching my wife and I let him to believe it was good or desirable.  From his reaction I am lead to believe that he still holds this understanding.  You are right though.  Chocolate is neutral.  I do know a few individuals that can't stand it.

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   tksenseiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

   NO knowledge comes from experience.

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      hubby7posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      If not experience, tksensei, then where does it come from?

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         tksenseiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         It is in us apriori.

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            Madame Xposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            Ahhhh.

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               tksenseiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               You Kant deny it!

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                  Madame Xposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                  Go further East . . .

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   darksideposted 15 years agoin reply to this

   Actually no, some say all knowledge comes from experience. It is just one theory.
   
   Look up "epistemology". It will get you thinking.

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   JYOTI KOTHARIposted 15 years agoin reply to this

   Experience is perhaps the mightiest tool of knowledge either of your own or of some one else.
   However, human brain has a specific power to imagine and we can get knowledge by imagination too.
   Thanks,
   Jyoti Kothari

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