Philosophy Stack Exchange
Philosophy Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [knowledge]

Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something, which can include facts, information, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education.

431 questions
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Are all facts worth knowing?

It is generally considered beneficial to discover some scientific law or invent an object that is said to further the state of mankind. All inventions and scientific discovery hinges in some way on past knowledge. Since knowledge is so instrumental…
Zach Rattner
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To what extent does our knowledge derive from the senses?

By tradition, the problem that dictates where our knowledge is derived divides from two philosophical circles; those who affirm that our knowledge of the world comes from our senses, such as David Hume, an empiricist, and those who proclaim that it…
nderjung
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Is it paradoxical to simultaneously assert that a proposition is true and that the speaker does not know it?

Is it a paradox to assert "1+1=2 is true, but I don't know it"? I just thought of this chestnut myself.
user107952
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Can a statement about the past be a 'fact'?

There was an annular solar eclipse near where I used to live (about 20 years ago). It is pretty well certain that it did happen, because eclipses can be reckoned precisely and the likelihood of anything affecting my memory of an entire day is…
user16869
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How can I improve the skill of deciding whether something is relevant?

Can philosophy aid with improving the skill of deciding and judging what is relevant and irrelevant? If so, which subfields do so (The Wikipedia page on relevance references epistemology)? Context: There are many books, but too little time: this is…
user8572
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Propositional and Other Forms of Knowledge

Propositional knowledge is often described as knowledge that such-and-such is true. This stands in contrast to other forms of knowledge, such as knowledge how to such-and-such. What term is most appropriate for characterizing "knowledge how to…
Dusty
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Can knowledge exist that humans are incapable of understanding?

This question has its origin in a debate/thread about gods, mysterious ways and "gods plan" as in "can god communicate his plan to humans". This is not a question about a single individuals ability to comprehend but rather a question wether human…
Alonda
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How do we acquire knowledge?

Lately, I have come to the sad realisation that I know virtually nothing. This understanding was only fully realised for me when I looked back on my own education thus far; in spite of having just completed an undergraduate degree in Mathematics for…
Necroticka
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Will philosophy ever have a consensus on all the issues?

There seems to be a lot of disagreement of important questions of philosophy. A lot of consensus has been achieved in the history of philosophy, but will there ever be consensus of the entire field that is comparable to the sciences?
CognisMantis
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What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?

What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? From Wikipedia: Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as…
Deschele Schilder
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Is complete mutual knowledge possible?

Consider a piece of information. I know it and so do you. Moreover, I know that you know it, and you know that I know it. Further, I know that you know that I know it, you know that I know that you know it, and so on. Each stage entails a further…
John Bentin
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Can a statement about the future be a 'fact'?

I am told that there will be a solar eclipse where I live next year. It is pretty well certain that it is going to happen, because eclipses can be reckoned precisely and the likelihood of anything affecting the movements of the Sun, Earth and Moon…
user16869
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Is all knowledge dependent on culture?

Is all knowledge dependent on culture? how to define knowledge to our own perspective? if we don't exist does the knowledge disappear?
Mohammad
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Could the existence of just 5Ws+H (who, what, where, when, why, how) limit us in our search for answers

To summarize, most questions fundamentally come from these 6 words. But, are there more unknown or unthought conditions that could allow us to ask (and thus eventually be able to answer) more about ourselves and our universe? Example: if ‘when’…
user491194
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Is there any difference between knowledge and information?

I am confused about find difference between knowledge and information. Give me an example.
Yogesh Borad
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