- #1
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I've been giving some thought to the real meaning of knowledge.
Do things that I know in the back of my mind count as knowledge?
If I forget something but somehow my mind is triggered and I remember it five years from now, I obviously know the information, but I didn't at the time.
So how do we define "knowing" something?
Let me give an example:
Say that in fifth grade, a child thoroughly memorizes the capitals of all of the European countries, amongst others. She can state all that you could ask for. When the child is 20 years old, the knowledge of capitals fades away while she learns some advanced mathematics. Now, if I asked her the capital of Iran, she finds that she can't recall what it is, so I tell her the answer. Instantly, her memory comes back and she remembers the capital of Iran.
Before I told her, she didn't "know" the capital of Iran. But afterwards, she did. So does she really know the capitals at age 20 even though she can only recall them when she hears what they are to jog her memory?
I am trying to word my question so that everyone can understand it, but if it's not clear I will try to elaborate.
Do things that I know in the back of my mind count as knowledge?
If I forget something but somehow my mind is triggered and I remember it five years from now, I obviously know the information, but I didn't at the time.
So how do we define "knowing" something?
Let me give an example:
Say that in fifth grade, a child thoroughly memorizes the capitals of all of the European countries, amongst others. She can state all that you could ask for. When the child is 20 years old, the knowledge of capitals fades away while she learns some advanced mathematics. Now, if I asked her the capital of Iran, she finds that she can't recall what it is, so I tell her the answer. Instantly, her memory comes back and she remembers the capital of Iran.
Before I told her, she didn't "know" the capital of Iran. But afterwards, she did. So does she really know the capitals at age 20 even though she can only recall them when she hears what they are to jog her memory?
I am trying to word my question so that everyone can understand it, but if it's not clear I will try to elaborate.