The Concept of Knowledge - Essay Example

Name] [Name of Professor] [Name of unit] [Due date] Concept of knowledge Concept knowledge is founded on what we already know or rather what we have observed. The moment we take in new knowledge, we usually weigh this knowledge against what we already know then analyse, process it and store. However, knowledge is between the connection between beliefs and evidence and as a result of this, the boarders of knowledge can be regarded as flexible, contextual and are also subject to change. Participation in life is different for many people and they use different ways of participating and seeing the world. As a result, in some circumstances it may not be clear to identify the boarders between different sites of knowledge to an extent that they may seem non-existent or blurred. The use of the concept of knowledge in different ways can be used to explain the nature of the boarders of knowledge. In order to explain this, the article will focus on university culture, David’s thirteen-year search and digital technology. In regard to the university, there is a personal view of the world that one has before being enrolled in the university in regard to your beliefs and knowledge on what the university is like. After one is enrolled to the university, there is the university culture which you become to understand when you are there which presents different knowledge. However, in order to understand, learn as well as use the appropriate thinking, language and behaviour in the culture of the university and its disciplinary subcultures, communication is very crucial. Based on this situation, there are two views that exist in regard to own knowledge. First, the person has some knowledge and beliefs about the university before being enrolled. Once the person is enrolled in the university, the belief and the knowledge of the person takes another direction after enrolment after having a good understanding and learning about the culture of the university, that is, what is really on the ground. The existence of the boundary in knowledge is also attributed to communication. It is through communication that the boarder has been identified after the person has learned and understood what is really expected in the university. The boarders between knowledge in the university can also be explained in regard to creativity. Critical thinking calls for deep engagement in regard qualities, skills and careful attention to specific disciplinary direction. The recognition of the boarder is through the need for creative and critical thinking. In regard to the connection between belief and truth, there is a lot of creativity in development of knowledge. However, if you have a creative idea, the idea is just a belief until it is tested. However, when these ideas are tested through thinking, there is a switch from being creative to being critical. The switching from creative to critical explains the boarders in knowledge. Critical thinking is itself a lifelong activity which takes place through the testing of creative ideas. Still in such situation, it is worth noting that communication is very crucial in testing of ideas to arrive at critical thinking. In David’s thirteen-year search, the boarders of knowledge are explained in eight word-views problems created on the basis of communication. There is a great difference in knowledge in regard to what David thinks about his illness, what the Yolnu society think in regard to his illness and the perception of the hospital in regard to his illness as well as the Yolnu community. In addition, there is the perception of the Balada Based his culture there is the dominant culture world-view and most importantly, communication which greatly contributed to the difference in knowledge (Trudgen, 96). From the case, Trudgen shows different was of communication between different knowledge communities. What David knew was different from what the doctor knew as well as what Trudgen knew. David has some own beliefs and knowledge according to his illness. Due to poor communication between him and the hospital, leading to development of his world view in regard to what he is suffering. His belief and knowledge which is wrong about his health is also reinforced by the Yolnu world-view based on their perception about the doctors. The perception about the doctor is that the treatment is based on the command in regard to the history of his community. In addition, based on his culture, they learn to memorise information but they completely don’t have any idea what it means. The Balanda on the other hand try to get the meaning of information and remember it. This means that although David was able to repeat the information without understanding, the Balanda culture did not know the Yolnu (David’s) way. This made understanding to be more confusing leaving David with his beliefs and knowledge about his illness, a condition that made communication between the two cultures difficult and unproductive in regard to his illness (Trudgen, 101). Based on the Doctor as well as the nurses in the dominant culture world view, they assumed health workers as well trained to know everything especially David’s illnesses. However, they did not have any knowledge in regard to the causation of the diseases, sickness as well as the effects on the body hence, lacking sense on clinical diagnostic procedures. In addition, the dominant culture assumes that David and the Yolnu culture as a whole fully understands the medical information based on their effectiveness in memorisation. Thus the dominant culture has its own beliefs and knowledge. The doctor also assumes that David understands the medical information in regard to his illness (Trudgen, 105). However, it is lack of communication between different parties that led to misunderstanding of the current condition. Trudgen contributed a lot in order to ensure every party knew what they didn’t know based on language. First, according to David he thought he has knowledge about his health. His belief and knowledge was based on his culture. From his cultural background, he believed that the doctor was supposed to guide him, and then he used his own knowledge to find a solution about his illness. He also thought that his illness was related to sorcery, a situation that he believed made his doctor not to tell about what he was really suffering. This was contributed to a communication problem between him and the doctor. On the other hand, lack of effective communication between David and the doctor greatly contributed to his thirteen-years of wanting to know. Based on communication in terms of medical language, David stayed for long without knowing what the doctor meant according to his explanation on his illnesses. It is when Trudgen intervened that David came to know his illness and on the other hand, the doctors came to know that David never understood him. As a result, the boarders of knowledge existed where David did not have the knowledge of what he did not know and when the doctor failed to know that he did not know (Trudgen, 108). In regard to digital globalisation, two world-views can be identified. First, there is the tradition world-view where the countries beliefs and knowledge was based on restrictions. This is in regard to political grounds, that is, the governments were able to censure the political content and economic grounds, where business was mostly contained within the country. Second, there is the modern world-view where present in ICT has made the world a global village and has allowed people to share ideologies leading to promotion of democracy. It is worth noting that communication is a very significant factor that tumbled down territorial walls. As a result, the boarders of knowledge existed when the people did not know that they did not have democracy. Due to ICT, they became to know what they did not know (Youngs, 148). In regard to digital evolution, technology is evolving at a rapid rate leading to changes in the way people communicate. As a result, there is a lot of pressure for institution to employ the new technology. However, in education sector there is pre-digital world –view where the beliefs and knowledge are based on tradition method of teaching. On the other hand, there is the digital world-view where beliefs and knowledge are based on new technology. It is worth noting that communication is also crucial in overcoming the challenges through understanding and learning about new technology. Thus, the boarders of knowledge exist when the population do not know that they don’t know about the new technology. Conclusion Based on the concept of knowledge, it can be concluded that knowledge lies in the link between belief and evidence and as such, there exists the borders of knowledge. Concept knowledge is founded on what we already know or what we have observed. Boarders of knowledge: change depending on context such as discourse, age or discipline among others; overlap and intersect; and depend on evidence as well as belief. However, what is dissimilar is that the boarders of knowledge vary given that they are subject to change, flexible and contextual. It is also important to note that communication is very crucial in every situation and it greatly contributes to knowing what one did not know that he or she didn’t know. Work cited Trudgen, R. Why warriors lie down and die. Darwin Aboriginal Resource and Development Service Inc. 2000 Youngs, G. H. Digital Globalisation and Democracy: the territorial walls come tumbling down. Development, 54.2 (2011): 147-149 Read More