Production of Knowledge - Case Study Example

THE ROLE OF PRODUCING KNOWLEDGE Knowledge is generally defined as the condition or fact of knowing about something through familiarity with that entity, which is either gained through association or experience. However, in practice, there are numerous equally plausible and possible definitions of knowledge. One of the more frequently referenced definitions is that knowledge is the understandings or ideas possessed by an entity, which are utilized in effecting action that seeks to achieve the entity’s goals and, in this case, the knowledge is specific to the entity responsible for its production (Melvin & Sprod, 2010). Production of knowledge occurs as a response to ideas, experiences, or information created by an individual or other people and can be subjective, objective, personal, and/or social. Rather than being a necessarily true or accurate representation of the facts, knowledge is basically the collection, use, and maintenance of skills and facts. One of the main reasons why knowledge is produced is to solve problems, which refers to an entity’s desire to achieve a definite goal or objective from an existing condition that makes it difficult or uncertain that a solution will be achieved (Melvin & Sprod, 2010). However, production of knowledge is not always meant for solving problems and may, in fact, produce useless information and facts or end up creating new problems. Evidently, one of the main reasons for producing knowledge is to find answers to issues that are uncertain or difficult. Production of knowledge, as aforementioned, means the production of previously undiscovered information or ideas. Problems are generally situations or matters that an entity regards as significantly difficult, harmful, or unwelcome and which need to be overcome or solved (Melvin & Sprod, 2010). One of the reasons why solving problems is a basic necessity of life is that it brings order to life. Humans face numerous problems in everyday life, most of which do not possess clear-cut solutions. In addition, the entity involved in solving these problems is usually involved in a part of problem solving. Solving problems without having the relevant facts and information on the issue at hand normally involves muddling through in the best possible manner, followed by moving on to the next issue. However, when one is in possession of these facts and information, it is possible to find the most appropriate solution (Melvin & Sprod, 2010). Therefore, it can be argued that having knowledge expedites the process of solving problems. This view that knowledge helps in solving problems can be seen in the scientific method. In the natural sciences, the main aim is to provide an explanation about the manner in which the natural world operates, as well as how it came to be this way. The first step in the scientific process involves making natural observations, after which the scientist asks a question about the observed phenomenon and formulates a hypothesis about why things are as they are (Pritchard et al, 2010). This is process is based on problem identification, while the research process attempts to solve the problem either to prove or disprove the hypothesis. In natural sciences, the scientist sets out to produce knowledge about the natural world using their imagination, reason, and sense perception, which are all part of knowledge. Natural science, therefore, should provide a solution for problems on the basis of impartial research that involves the construction of knowledge. Problems in science can be solved through the intentional construction of knowledge, as well as serendipitously or by chance, in which the scientist solves the problem by accidentally acquiring knowledge that they did not set out to acquire (Pritchard et al, 2010). Whichever the case, knowledge production plays a critical role in solving problems in natural science. Production of knowledge also helps in solving problems related to human sciences, in which the knowledge constructed aids in solving problems related to human behavior, as well as the consequences and causes of this human behavior via the scientist’s imagination, reason, and sense perception. The objectives of all human sciences, virtually, are to explain the behavior of humans, as well as to formulate theories that predict behavior and develop remedies for the problems identified through the predictions (Pritchard et al, 2010). As such, knowledge produced in human sciences can be used to solve problems related to human behavior. For instance, a human scientist who seeks to understand to solve a problem related to how teacher expectations affect the performance of students would have to construct knowledge about what happens when teachers expect their students to show intellectual growth and do well and vice versa. Again, just as with the natural sciences, these facts and information can be identified intentionally or accidentally but still contribute to the construction of knowledge and, in turn, solution of human science problems. Mathematical knowledge forms the base from which individuals can explore concepts, as well as solve problems and make deductions (Pritchard et al, 2010). Indeed, most mathematical systems are motivated by the desire to explain and describe real-world problems and issues. This does not mean that production of knowledge as discussed above only aids in the solution of problems. For instance, creation of artistic knowledge does not necessarily help to solve problems in the real world but, rather, aids in fulfilling the emotional needs of humans. Knowledge production in art helps the artist to express themselves artistically, as well as to evoke emotional responses in the members of the audience (Pritchard et al, 2010). For example, Beethoven created musical knowledge with his symphonies that evoke emotions in its listeners. However, this knowledge did not solve any significant problem but proved successful because the appreciation of music is innate in humans. On the other hand, art can also be used to solve problems in terms of providing entertainment, which might be classified as a problem that should be solved because life is dull without the presence of entertainment. Moreover, knowledge created in art can be used as a form of art therapy, in which the resulting artwork can be sued in exploring the feelings and emotions of mentally ill patients, for example, as well as to reconcile emotional conflicts, manage addictions and behaviors, and improve reality orientation (Pritchard et al, 2010). Thus, knowledge produced in art can be used for problem solving and non-problem solving purposes. However, there are clear reasons that cast doubt as to whether knowledge is solely produced with the explicit objective of solving problems. Although some forms of knowledge have been shown to provide critical help in solving problems, it is essential to note that some of this knowledge might not have been meant to solve the problem when it was produced in the first place (Popper, 2014). To begin with, not all problems are easy to solve or straightforward, while some problems involve several aspects in their solution and require a lot of time to solve. Thus, whereas knowledge may be used to solve one part of the problem, this does not mean that it solves the entire problem. As such, the knowledge production does not act to solve problems in their entirety. Moreover, some knowledge is produced that has absolutely no practical use, such as knowledge produced due to purely personal reasons and motivations (Popper, 2014). For instance, a scientific study on the usefulness of Twitter may find that majority of what is posted on Twitter is unintelligible and pointless by collecting information and facts scientifically. However, the knowledge that this study constructs does not have any immediate practical use and, therefore, does not solve any problems since there was no problem with Twitter to begin with. Finally, knowledge can also be produced in order to highlight specific problems, rather than to solve them, although it should also be noted that highlighting the presence of a problem may also be seen as a critical step in solving the problem (Popper, 2014). For example, production of artistic knowledge may create new problems instead of solving them, such as the ‘Guernica” painting by Picasso that sought to portray the tragedies of war on the population. However, instead of solving the problem of how war should be depicted, the painting raises contradictory and widely variant interpretations that create another problem on how the painting actually depicts war. Conflict journalists, on the other hand, produce knowledge about conflict in order to educate the public on the conflict but may end up creating another problem in how they depict the different actors in the conflict (Popper, 2014). Therefore, whereas the main role of knowledge production is to solve problems, it might also create new problems that need to be solved all over again. References Melvin, A., & Sprod, T. (2010). Theory of knowledge. Cardiff: International Baccalaureate Popper, K. (2014). The two fundamental problems of the theory of knowledge. London: Routledge Pritchard, D., Millar, A., & Haddock, A. (2010). The nature and value of knowledge: Three investigations. Oxford: Oxford University Press Read More