Word Count: 807
Theory Of Knowledge
‘Don’t give me any more facts! I need to make a decision right now!’ Although
one can question knowledge endlessly, one cannot forever suspend judgment while
researching and reflecting. What would it mean to act responsibly in a situation where
one cannot possess certainty? How would one justify the decision?
Within all individuals, there is a basic necessity to obtain certain answers to questions,
which is known as gumption. The satisfaction of this “gumption” in certain cases,
becomes the basic factor of life needed to function. Hence, people often search for
explanations to these uncertainties. This endless search will only lead to losing the truth.
Gumption is the attempt to have answers to for everything in order to be able to
function. In other words, it is an innate need to answer things; curiosity. People try to get
all these answers in vain because either way there are too many variables to assess and
hence it would be impossible to attain certainty. It is towards satisfying this gumption
that most of our actions are steered. It is towards satisfying this gumption that most of our
actions are steered. Humankind needs to stop trying to acquire knowledge to be able to
function; they need to coming up with temporary answers through the use of common
sense and intuition. As Bertrand Russell said, “All human knowledge is uncertain,
inexact and partial.” People cannot rely on common sense, the mind cannot organize
anything. Common sense and beliefs are but just mere memories of past experiences. We
rely on memory to acquaint us with the continuance and exert of this succession of
perceptions.
This is where the metacognition comes in. People need to be metacognistant, this
is, they need to realize that they could never know everything possible. Searching for
answers is pointless. As David Hume said, “It is impossible to know everything so we
need to concentrate on what we know.” A decision not to decide but to leave the question
open is in itself a decision and this will lead to the risk of losing truth. Metacognition.
Skepticism also plays a big role in this life long argument. As Jostein Gaarder
said in SOPHIE’S WORLD, “…man cannot know the truth about the riddles of nature
and of the universe. In philosophy a view like this is called skepticism.” People tend to be
skeptical, where knowledge is uncertain. They want to avoid error. In this frame of mind,
humanity will have a better change of understanding the universe. Having uncertain
answers will help humans function properly. This leads us to Plato’s cave. Picture
yourself inside a cave viewing uncertain images, shadows. These are the only things you
have ever seen. You don’t have a clear understanding of these images; yet these images is
the only thing you know of this universe. You create an answer to what these viewing
are. The answers you create are according to your past experiences, but as soon as you
leave the cave, you are confronted with what seems to be the real thing. Yet, al of a
sudden, you view a whole new “ballgame.” All of your answers and conclusions of the
“old world”, behind the cave, and questioned by the “new world.” You refuse the
answers of the “new world” in fear of being wrong. As William James said in THE
WILL TO BELIEVE, “it is better to risk loss of truth than chance of error.” The eternal
search for truth will only lead to more confusion. In the same essay, William James
wrote, “Our passional nature not only lawfully may, But must, decide an opinion between
propositions, whenever it is a genuine option that cannot by its nature be decided on
intellectual grounds; for to say, under such circumstances, ‘Do not decide, but leave the
question open,’ is itself a passional decision, just like deciding yes or no, and is attended
with the same risk of losing truth….” If we have the option between losing truth and
gaining it, this option is not at all important or consequential. We can avoid the chance of
gaining truth and by this manner; we can save ourselves from any chance of believing
falsehood by no making a decision until all the conclusive evidence is laid before us.
There is no way that we can ever know everything so acting responsibly would
mean to be metacognistant and to go out into the world and share what little you know
with the rest of the world. People need to get out of their philosophical cave where they
refuse to believe anything outside their
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“world” because not enough evidence is presented. They need to get out into the
unknown world and bring back the new ideas they obtained to the cave so as to come up
with a universal truth, hence satisfy that gumption to have an answer.
Keywords:
word count theory knowledge give more facts need make decision right although
question knowledge endlessly cannot forever suspend judgment while researching
reflecting what would mean responsibly situation where cannot possess certainty would
justify decision within individuals there basic necessity obtain certain answers questions
which known gumption satisfaction this gumption certain cases becomes basic factor life
needed function hence people often search explanations these uncertainties this endless
search will only lead losing truth gumption attempt have answers everything order able
function other words innate need answer things curiosity people these answers vain
because either there many variables assess hence would impossible attain certainty
towards satisfying this that most actions steered towards satisfying that most actions
steered humankind needs stop trying acquire knowledge able function they need coming
with temporary through common sense intuition bertrand russell said human uncertain
inexact partial people cannot rely common sense mind organize anything common sense
beliefs just mere memories past experiences rely memory acquaint with continuance
exert succession perceptions where metacognition comes metacognistant they realize that
they could never know everything possible searching pointless david hume said
impossible know everything concentrate what know decision decide leave question open
itself will lead risk losing truth metacognition skepticism also plays role life long
argument jostein gaarder said sophie world truth about riddles nature universe philosophy
view like called skepticism tend skeptical where uncertain want avoid error frame mind
humanity will have better change understanding universe having uncertain help humans
properly leads plato cave picture yourself inside cave viewing images shadows these only
things have ever seen clear understanding images images only thing universe create
answer what viewing create according your past experiences soon leave cave confronted
with seems real thing sudden view whole ballgame your conclusions world behind
questioned world refuse fear being wrong william james believe better risk loss than
chance error eternal search lead more confusion same essay william james wrote
passional nature lawfully must decide opinion between propositions whenever genuine
option nature decided intellectual grounds under such circumstances decide leave
question open itself passional just like deciding attended same risk losing option between
gaining option important consequential avoid chance gaining manner save ourselves from
chance believing falsehood making until conclusive evidence laid before there ever
acting responsibly mean metacognistant into share little rest their philosophical refuse
believe anything outside their salazar because enough evidence presented into unknown
bring back ideas obtained come universal hence satisfy answer
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