Where Does Our Knowledge Come From?

How can I trust what I know as true?

What do I do when a deeply held truth suddenly feels untrue? What if I'm the one who suddenly feels unreal, unfounded, and false? We rarely stop to question the foundation of our self-understanding. Yet knowledge isn’t always certain. It can feel solid, but when examined closely, it starts to shift under pressure.

When one identifies strongly with their thoughts, logic, and intellectual world, their self-concept transforms as their knowledge augments. In this case, knowledge shapes the self-concept. The latter is dependent on the former; it stands on ideas, ideals and intellectual truths. The integration of new knowledge, and therefore, the transformation of the self, may happen instantly or play out slowly over a few months.

How then do I know that what I currently believe is true if acquiring new knowledge might poke holes into my current beliefs? How can I have confidence in my understanding of myself, of life, my worldview, when there's so much I have yet to know?

The Nature of Knowledge: Creating vs. Gaining Knowledge

Knowledge can be produced in many ways. The most important source of empirical knowledge is perception, what we see, hear, touch, taste, and smell through our senses. Many theorists also include introspection as a source of knowledge, not of external physical objects, but of one's mental states.

We gain knowledge from life experience, and we gain knowledge from pure thinking and logical reasoning.

As intelligent beings, we naturally create knowledge through insightful contemplation, discussions, publications, creative expressions and inventions, or solutions.

As we gain knowledge, through studying or traveling, for example, we create even more sophisticated knowledge, inspired ideas, and creations.

Rationalism vs Empiricism

Some philosophers, called empiricists, argue that all knowledge of fact stems from perception and experience. They state that knowledge is a posteriori in the sense that it can be obtained only through certain kinds of experience. This makes me appreciate the various transformations of my self-concept that result from going through life, knowledge that can only come from the experiences I have had. It's a confirmation that life changes you, worldviews and values can evolve, and personal growth is inevitable; deeply held truths can indeed change.

Rationalists, on the contrary, argue that some, though not all, knowledge arises through direct realization or comprehension by the intellect. Rationalists believe that reason is a faculty that can lay hold of truths beyond the reach of sense perception. This is true for many deep thinkers. I've been shaped by ideas that I haven't perceived directly or experienced socially or culturally, including logical and metaphysical ideas. Through insight and reasoning, I've come to reach my own conclusions. The problem with this is when you later discover an error in your judgment or reasoning, and the truth becomes glaringly biased.

Sources of Knowledge

In epistemology, the philosophical study of knowledge, knowledge can be acquired through:

• perception - what I see, hear, touch, taste, smell

• introspection - what I notice inside myself: my thoughts, emotions, impulses

• memory -  what I recall, even if it's imperfect

• reason - the logical structure I use to understand patterns, relationships, reality

• testimony - what others tell me (teachers, media, conversations)

• intuition - that quiet, often inexplicable knowing

In psychology, knowledge is typically seen as a state of awareness gained through experience, study, or exposure. And in education, knowledge becomes a product of structured learning, training, and practice, a traditional approach across societies throughout history.

Perception, introspection, reason, and intuition are favorite ways to create and gain knowledge about myself - I get curious about intuition as it's not an easy one to grasp. I'm an extrovert, but I need a lot of alone time to think and make sense of myself. I also love to study and have conversations on my favorite topics, and all sorts of topics. In many ways, I identify with my thoughts, and so I value deep, true knowledge.

Importance of Knowledge

The world has made substantial progress in increasing basic levels of education. Increased knowledge improves decision-making on all levels of human life: private life, interpersonal relationships, the political, societal and economic sphere, and international global relations.

Here's how increased knowledge improves life:

• Personal lifestyle: Personal empowerment, Improved Self-Esteem, Reduced Negative Behaviors,

• Career and Social Life: Understanding the world, Clear Communication, Problem-solving

• Societal Progress: Technological and scientific advancements, Economic development, Informed public discourse, Cultural enrichment

Online World: Information Overload

We live in a time when information is always within reach, on our phones, in our pockets, 24/7. You no longer need to travel far or enroll in formal education to expand your understanding of the world.

We can easily increase our knowledge and understanding of the world through:

• Social Media

• Online Education

• Video Content

• Streaming websites

• Online Games and Virtual Worlds

• Blogs, forums

• Online groups and communities

Interacting with others online from different backgrounds continuously highlights our self-understanding. As we gain more knowledge, we’re invited to re-examine how that knowledge shapes us.

Testing Knowledge

We seem to acquire knowledge in many ways. But does acquiring knowledge mean we know it is true? Should I believe everything I see? Everything I hear or read? Every instinct I have? Every feeling I have?

How come some knowledge doesn't ring true?

Where does the urge to engage in arguments come from?

Sometimes it seems like knowledge needs to be defended. Especially when it feels so true.

Everyone has their own interesting beliefs.

What's a justified true belief?

Only assert that a belief (an observation) is knowledge if it can be justified, and it turns out to be true. Justification implies that the knowledge will survive empirical scrutiny. The belief must be supported by sufficient evidence or reasons. - Plato's theory of justified true belief

Knowledge can be true, but it can also be false, incomplete, or distorted; it can be clouded by bias. So, how do we separate truth from distortion?

The Role of Skepticism

Skepticism becomes essential in this tangle of truths and beliefs. It isn’t about denying knowledge, but questioning its basis. Are you accounting for the bias, cultural background, or personal fears?

Even intuition, the so-called “deep knowing,” isn’t exempt. It can be hard to explain or trust because where exactly does it come from? Prior experience? Pattern recognition? Subtle memories?

Recognizing Cognitive Bias

Biases help us make quick decisions, but they can also distort our judgment. For example, confirmation bias, hindsight bias, and anchoring bias etc., all color the way we absorb information.

• Confirmation bias makes us seek evidence that supports what we already believe.

• Hindsight bias convinces us we "knew it all along."

• Anchoring bias causes us to fixate on the first piece of information we receive.

Without realizing it, we start to build a version of the world that’s convenient, but not always accurate.

Knowledge vs. Truth

At this point, I find myself confronting the idea of truth. Can knowledge be true if truth itself is subjective? There’s truth in every perspective. One person’s truth may differ from another’s because experience shapes perception.

Why does the truth matter? Because our actions hinge on what we believe to be true. If our knowledge is flawed, our choices may be too. Truth anchors us. It informs our ethics, shapes our relationships, and influences how we treat others.

So, What Knowledge Can I Trust?

Philosophical expressions, art, inventions, and business solutions are all examples of creative use of knowledge. This, I can trust.

I realize that life changes constantly and that our collective knowledge grows through time and history. Knowledge expands continuously, in tandem with our (my) self-concept. The more I learn, the more I change.

So, maybe knowledge is always a little uncertain. Sometimes knowledge feels incomplete, and that's okay. Perhaps knowledge isn't inherently true or false but leans one way or the other based on the situation. It depends on how it's utilized and contextualized.

Still,

I'm learning that I might never find all the answers to my questions.

I don’t need to be certain to be trusting and understanding.

I don’t need to be right to be true.

Because the truth isn’t always obvious.