Knowledge

DEFINITION:
 * Black || Tom ||
 * Purple || Amanda ||
 * Blue || Michael ||
 * Red || Ben ||
 * Green || Jeremy ||

// **Knowledge** is: //  "the state or fact of knowing a fluid mix of framed experience, values, contextual information, and expert insight that has been perceived, discovered or learned providing a framework for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information Through what has been learned and perceived combined with how one's mind processes the data/information"derived from definition (found by Jeremy & Ben on the Pangasinan State University ( [|http://www.psu-fsg.com]) website.  ﻿Knowledge is like a river. It's the sum of everything that has come before, all the streams, rivers and downpours that have culminated in the river's current state. Whether tacit, explicit, implicit or about to be discovered, what it is today will meld with other flows to create an even larger and more formidable body of knowledge, an ocean perhaps that itself joins with other oceans.

BLOG SECTION: I was looking at @http://xp123.com/xplor/xp0402/, posted by Stu. It is a book overview of "the Knowledge Creating Company" by Ikujiro Nonaka & Hirotaka Takeuchi. It sums up many of their ideas/theories in a more point form setting. I plan on re-reading the article on "ba" more thoroughly because I think I missed a few things. The talk about a "knowledge spiral", which in concept I directly relate to what we're doing in our project.

Looking at the concept of "ba" from @http://home.business.utah.edu/actme/7410/Nonaka%201998.pdf, posted by Stu, is interesting. The basic argument (that I got from it) is that ba is a constructed "space" in which an individual or group of people can develop/foster knowledge creation; it occurs at physical, mental, virtual or any combination of the three levels. I would argue that since "ba" exists on all these planes and for individuals as well as groups, doesn't it then exist everywhere? Aren't we all always in a "ba" zone? >Personallly I found it too esoteric. It seemed like Nonaka was creating hypothetical models of imaginary things disconnected from the way we learn. Granted we don't have a collective understanding of what knowledge, its acquisition, etc. is all about. This exercise has made that abundantly clear. But I don't think Nonaka helped out, not for me anyway.

We've been discussing the distinction between information and data in class. So what's the difference between information and knowledge? Encyclopedias for example are full of information, but is that necessarily knowledge? Here is a strawman defining knowledge as that which we know and believe to be true. Data are discrete instances e.g. numbers, names, times. Information explains or details something, with or without using data. When we process information, it imparts knowledge.

Is knowledge necessarily something that it is true? At times mankind has believed--fervently in the example of Galileo raised earlier--that something is true, only later to revise or even re-write the previous knowledge entirely. It leads to a uneasy understanding that it's what we currently believe to be true, but it could all be hogwash. Where does it reside? At the risk of being redundant, where it is.

// Thought I'd entered a rough definition of knowledge that we can all edit and modify as we work on our wiki. // Does my rough idea cover the idea of tacit and explicit knowledge from class? As we discussed in class, looking at something like art or cutting-edge science. Is the artist or scientist who "discovers or creates" a new idea/form of expression, was that tacit knowledge within the individual? Since it had never been done before, others can gain explicit knowledge of it later but, is it tacit knowledge within their mind? Genetic code? Does the definition above account for Van Gogh's "Starry Night" being his perception of what he saw in the night sky? Or was it already inherent within him to paint it a particular way?

"Their, there, there's.." see how important the knowledge of english is!! See this site for Nonaka's interaction between explict and tacit knowledge- []. If you fail at accomplishing something is that still knowledge? Yes, because now you know that it doesnt work, you have knowledge that it failed and you wont do it again or you may fix it and do it again. A song is knowledge, if its new you are learning new music material, lyrics and beat.

Is there such a thing as conscious and subconscious knowledge? I think what I mean by this, is given the question 2 + 2 = 4, where everything is known, we do not need to hesitate to know that this statement is true. It is a rather subconscious decision that is sent to our mind and we believe it without hesitation. What, however if the statement posed is 2 + x = 4? While we know this statement must be true given our understanding of mathematics (being that the whole is an addition of its parts), I feel that we have to pull this thought process out of our subconscious and bring it towards the front in order to solve it with confidence. It might just be a split second of doubt enters our mind, what if x is not 2? It could very well not be though, as it could equal √4. While simplified, this does equal two as well, but could that not be another equation in its own right? Knowledge. F-yeah

Depends on how you look at music. Are you creating the music and developing the lyrics or are you just listening to it on the radio for the first time? If you are creating it then its not knowledge because you had no prior knowledge of the sound before you made it..you are making knowledge by creating the sound. If you are listening to it on the radio then yes its knowledge, you are hearing a new recording artist that you may or may not like. You are making your own decisions on whether or not you want to retain the knowledge and process it into your memory.
 * Is knowledge tangible?**

Sure, knowledge can be tangible, but I don't think it's a process. Does it help to understand what knowledge is by thinking about how we acquire it, or maybe how we add to the collective body of knowledge? An off-the-wall question: is music e.g a song also knowledge?

I believe knowledge is not tangible, it may considered tangible depending on the situation but for sake of this assignment knowledge is not tangible. What do you guys think?, this was a tough question for me.

I'm thinking that knowledge is not tangible, we have countless objects and information surrounding us constantly, and we use this to create knowledge in every day life. But does this knowledge tangibly exist to an incoherent objects? >The way we acquire knowledge isn't necessarily tangible, but what about someone who is blind. It's very much a sensory process that builds the knowledge of the surrounding world. Isn't that an example of tangible knowledge? Or even for a sighted person, how does one distinguish characteristics like smooth and rough without introducing a tangible compontent to knowledge, at least in the acquisition of it? What about written knowledge? If Einstein never spoke with anyone but wrote out everything he knew about relativity, wouldn't that also be tangible knowledge? Or if we agree that music and art are examples of knowledge from the art world, wouldn't these be classified as tangible?

In my mind, I think that knowledge is the occurrence of what we are expecting to happen. I think that this can be tangible, but what should happen when what we don't expect occurs? Can we only gain knowledge? Or do we stand the chance of losing prior knowledge, having it copied over what you previously thought would happen? An example of this could be, you connect two wires to make a circuit, the light bulb lights up. You understand the process and your expectations have been met. What happens if it does not light up though? You must search the system you are working in for //information// that will be used to create a new thought processes as to why it didn't light up. Is the light bulb dead? Perhaps your power source is broken, or your wires are faulty, there are numerous points of data you must sort into sets of information before you can confidently expect to make the light bulb turn on again, which will bring you knowledge once more.

Knowledge is not tangible in my opinion. There are tangible representations of knowledge but, in essence the explicit knowledge is derived and documented from a conscious thought/process to make it tangible. Can't write a textbook without having the knowledge of the subject ahead of time in one's mind or access to other tangible knowledge resources.


 * Is knowledge a process?**

Yes it is a process, its a process of how you take it in ie. reading it, physically doing it, or listening to what someone else has to say and forming a thought around the idea and storing it in your memory.

Knowledge is indeed a process. In simple definition we could say that knowledge is the process of putting information up to the test. When we test information and presents itself to be true of justified, it then transititions to the form of knowledge. If the information does not help with the situation at hand, it simply remains information. >knowledge is a process; take science for example, figuring out one step in a scientific process. Another scientist takes that step and furthers research or develops a different use for the discovery. Such things apply to all aspects of knowledge; social, scientific,etc... The development of an initial step in "knowledge" leads to the further steps of knowledge discovery.

Does the word knowledge really have multiple meanings or are we misusing the word? I gained "knowledge" in how to access a wiki created by a team member!?!? Knowledge is everywhere, documents, visual aids. So, is knowledge only what exists in our heads, or what is also captured in other places like documents, data storage, etc.?

Could knowledge be the acceptance of the reality in which we exist? If the reality we exist in turns out to be different than what we perceive, is our knowledge still retained or usable?

Is knowledge ever forgotten? Or does it just become information once more and we must again "connect the dots" to complete the picture? >I'd say knowledge is most definitely forgotten; look at the fall of the Roman Empire and the ensuing "dark ages"... Romans had indoor plumbing, the steam engine (really; from 1st century AD, Greek inventor. not as efficient as the later one though) and could perform caesarian births...I believe if you don't have knowledge in a tangible form and then all the people who possess that knowledge leave, die, etc... you have lost the knowledge. That's not to say it doesn't exist, just it's no longer accessible.

Data stored in tools like documents and data bases contain information, only until this information is processed for a specific use it becomes knowledge. Therefore, documents and data bases contain information, and knowledge is the process of understanding or achieving, making it an intangible action.

At the moment of birth, all human beings are introduced to this world with a significant lack of knowledge of the environment that surrounds them. Moving forward from that instance we instinctivily approach situations with a critical eye. This introduces a process of critical thinking. As we assess the information surrounding us and deeming it to be justified or true, our critical thinking produces knowledge. This procedure occurs prodominantly in human beings, but also in all other living concious species in the world. For example, a fawn (baby deer), knows that it's mother cares and looks out for it and all the other young. Instinctivly, it also knows that an approaching wolf pack means danger. This preditor/prey relationship is knowledge; but is this knowledge instinctive? Has it been learned, passed down, or ingrained in the genetics of this particular species/ all species? >Clearly some of what animals exihibit is hardwired. Consider a newly born kitten or puppy and the fact it 'knows' to nurse in order to be fed. It certainly wasn't taught. How much is hardwired? Why do all Pointers point or Labs like to swim? I'd hazard a guess that much of it is genetic, not much different from a fruit fly 'knowing' how to fly. >I'd have to agree with both of you on this one. Salmon swim half way around the world and then return to the same river/creek to spawn... how do they know that? Given they may remember where they hatched; travelling thousands of kilometers underwater for their entire lives and being able to retrace their way back home..? The predator/prey analogy is a little tougher: I'd say deer fawns run from wolves because their family does, not because they inherently know that the wolf means to kill & eat them; Until the time they see a wolf pack kill a deer then they make some inherent connection. Also wolf cubs aren't born knowing how to hunt as a pack; as they mature they learn that they eat deer, then they run with the wolf pack and their play as pups shows they learn how to kill the deer. All learned through social group dynamics. But breathing, walking and so on are just genetically hardwired. Being hardwired completely depends on where you are used to be around. Its like when people used the fraise "what were you raised by a pack of wolves?", to an extent you learn from your instincts but you also adapt to the situation you are rasied in. Knowledge is something you gain not something that is an automactic reaction. When salmon swim back to the same river to spawn it is an instinct as it is for humans to breathe.
 * Is Knowledge an instinct? **


 * 1)** What is knowledge?
 * Is information created and stored in minds and in human artifacts like stories, books, and internetworked computers **1.1**
 * Knowledge includes all the cultural information created by human societies. It also includes the theories and experiments of scientists, who collaborate to establish our knowledge of the external world **1.1**
 * Information that is put to a specific use or that is justified.
 * Knowledge leads to understanding. Either theoretical or practical. **1.2**
 * Knowledge requires a living being's conciousness to complete a procedure using information, expertise, communication, reasoning, and skills to understand a subject. **1.3**
 * 2)** Types on knowledge? Tacit vs. Explicit
 * Tacit knowledge occurs from learning a set number of "instances," and then these are processed and learned.
 * Explicit knowledge can be shared.
 * 3)** Why is it knowledge?
 * Knowledge becomes knowledge because it is justified as being true, real, or factual. **3.1**
 * 4)** Philosophers of knowledge
 * Plato's theory of "Justified true belief," **4.1**
 * Sir Francis Bacon - "Knowledge is power" **4.1﻿**
 * 5)** How we use knowledge
 * To explain or understand our surroundings.
 * To preform functions.
 * 6)** When does information become knowledge?
 * Information becomes knowledge when it is processed by a conscious entity and becomes justified under applicable circumstances.
 * 7)** Why does information become knowledge?
 * When information is put to use to complete or accomplish, or processed and deemed to be true, it then becomes knowledge.
 * 8)** How does information become knowledge?
 * The process of learning transforms information into knowledge.
 * 9)** What is information?
 * Information is sets of data that have been created by knowledge. **9.1**
 * Information is data that is processed to be useful; provides answers to "who", "what", "where", and "when" questions. **9.1**
 * 10)** Theory of knowledge : Epistemology **10.1**
 * Analyzing the nature of knowledge and how it is associated with such notions of truth and belief. 10.1
 * The theory of knowledge also covers such topics as the means of production of knowledge, as well as skepticism about different knowledge claims
 * 11)** Knowledge vs. Instinct
 * Knowledge is a human instinct.
 * Gaining knowledge is human nature.
 * 12)** Process of obtaining knowledge?
 * [|Observation] or [|experience]. This may be more or less sophisticated, ranging from a simple, "I saw" to carefully designed controlled [|experimentation].
 * [|Reason] or [|logic]. Taking other knowledge as data, by logical operations knowledge can be [|inferred].
 * [|Modelling] a situation sometimes allows those with a [|hands-on] viewpoint to learn [|how-to] do something. This [|pragmatic] approach is often seen in [|computer programming].
 * [|Testimony]. Knowledge based on the acceptance of testimony involves accepting what others say.
 * [|Authority]. Knowledge based on authority may rely upon the reputation of an individual such as [|Aristotle] or [|Einstein] or perhaps on institutional authority such as that of the [|Roman Catholic Church] or [|Oxford University]. Note that an authority may adopt knowledge upon other criteria such as divine revelation or observation as well as upon authority. Authority may have a political basis in the sense that some political process, perhaps involving [|status] as well as simple voting, [|peer review], or comment. This is familiar to participants in [|academia].
 * [|Revelation]. Many people believe knowledge may be obtained via revelation or even [|divine revelation], which may be directly from [|God] or another spirit, perhaps conveyed through a religious text or texts, such as the [|Bible] . **12.1**
 * 13)** Where does knowledge reside?
 * There is an infinite amount of un-harvested knowledge that resides within the universe.
 * Knowledge resides in the beings that have put information to use.
 * 14)** What is the history of knowledge?
 * Knowledge has been, first and foremost, a tool to become the "subject" of change, as opposed to being the "object" of change . **14.1**
 * 15)** Does the universe contain knowledge?
 * 16)** Spiritual Knowledge
 * 17)** Physical Knowledge
 * Knowing that rock is solid and water is liquid
 * 18)** Mental Knowledge
 * 19)** How do businesses use knowledge?
 * Businesses use knowledge to complete specified functions
 * Use knowledge about the business practice
 * Use knowledgeable person ell

=Citations=
 * Picture - []**
 * 1.1 -** []
 * 1.2 - []**
 * 1.3 - []**
 * 3.1 - []**
 * 4.1 - []**
 * 9.1 -** Derived from MIS Text book David M. Kroenke
 * 10.1 -** []
 * 12.1** - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_obtaining_knowledge
 * 14.1** - http://www.scaruffi.com/know/history.html