Knowledge acquisition
Encyclopedia
Knowledge acquisition is a method of learning, first proposed by Aristotle
in his seminal work "Organon
". Aristotle proposed that the mind at birth is a blank slate, or tabula rasa
. As a blank slate it contains no knowledge of the objective, empirical universe, nor of itself.
("Knowing subject" is often the description of a mind with acquired knowledge; but while no such page exits per se on Wikipedia, the use of the phrase http://www.lotsofessays.com/essay_search/Knowing_Subject.html is found throughout Wikipedia, and in the writings of David Hume
, Karl Popper
, and many others. [See also subject-object problem
]. Therefore, a human mind cannot be a "knowing subject" until it has "acquired knowledge". "Acquired" in this sense can be either an adjective, as in "that which has been acquired"; or a verb, as in the act of acquisition.)
As a method, it is opposed to the concept of "a priori" knowledge, and to "intuition
" when conceived as religious revelation
.
It has been suggested http://www.americanscientist.org/bookshelf/pub/languages-source-a-particularly-human-confluence-of-hard-wiring-and-softhttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105200.php that the mind is "hard wired" to begin operating at birth, beginning a lifetime process of acquisition through abstraction
, induction
, and conception.
The acquisition of empirical knowledge, which begins the process of filling the tabula rasa, is thus by means of the experience of sensation and perception. Though sensation and perception are described elsewhere in Wikipedia as parts of "psychology, and not [of] anatomy or physiology," they belong to cognitive science
.
[See also cognitive revolution
and philosophy of perception
.]
The "five senses" referred to by the word sensation [see sense
] are metaphorically the interface between empirical (sensate) reality and the consciousness of the knowing subject. A knowing subject for the purpose of this discussion of knowledge acquisition may be defined as any conscious creature capable of deriving direct and immediate sensate data from its environment.
Sensate data, or sensation, are distinct from perception
. Perception is the recognition within the knowing subject of the event of having had a sensation. The tabula rasa and must learn the nature of sensation as the awareness of something which is outside itself. Commonly recognized sensory systems are those for vision, hearing, somatic sensation (touch), taste and olfaction (smell). [See sensory system
]
Perception is the retention of a group of sensations transmitted through the sensory system(s), which gives the knowing subject the ability to be aware, not only of the singularity of stimuli presented by sensation itself, but of an entity
, a thing
, an existent.
Retention of percepts allows the human mind to abstract information from the percepts. The abstraction is considered the extensional definition
of the percept. An extension is "every object that falls under the definition of the concept or term in question." This is the same as a universal (metaphysics)
or genus
or denotation
, or class (philosophy)
.
Once a universal (class) has been identified, then the next step in the acquisition of knowledge is the abstraction of the intension
, which is the particular
, the species
, or the connotation. Connotation as its meaning as particular
is "the assertion that at least one member of one class of things is either included or excluded as a member of some other class." This means, for example, that a poodle is the particular in a class or universal concept called "dog" or "canine".
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
in his seminal work "Organon
Organon
The Organon is the name given by Aristotle's followers, the Peripatetics, to the standard collection of his six works on logic:* Categories* On Interpretation* Prior Analytics* Posterior Analytics...
". Aristotle proposed that the mind at birth is a blank slate, or tabula rasa
Tabula rasa
Tabula rasa is the epistemological theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that their knowledge comes from experience and perception. Generally proponents of the tabula rasa thesis favour the "nurture" side of the nature versus nurture debate, when it comes to aspects...
. As a blank slate it contains no knowledge of the objective, empirical universe, nor of itself.
("Knowing subject" is often the description of a mind with acquired knowledge; but while no such page exits per se on Wikipedia, the use of the phrase http://www.lotsofessays.com/essay_search/Knowing_Subject.html is found throughout Wikipedia, and in the writings of David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
, Karl Popper
Karl Popper
Sir Karl Raimund Popper, CH FRS FBA was an Austro-British philosopher and a professor at the London School of Economics...
, and many others. [See also subject-object problem
Subject-object problem
The subject–object problem, a longstanding philosophical issue, is concerned with the analysis of human experience, and of what within experience is "subjective" and what is "objective."...
]. Therefore, a human mind cannot be a "knowing subject" until it has "acquired knowledge". "Acquired" in this sense can be either an adjective, as in "that which has been acquired"; or a verb, as in the act of acquisition.)
As a method, it is opposed to the concept of "a priori" knowledge, and to "intuition
Intuition (knowledge)
Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of reason. "The word 'intuition' comes from the Latin word 'intueri', which is often roughly translated as meaning 'to look inside'’ or 'to contemplate'." Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot necessarily justify...
" when conceived as religious revelation
Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
.
It has been suggested http://www.americanscientist.org/bookshelf/pub/languages-source-a-particularly-human-confluence-of-hard-wiring-and-softhttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105200.php that the mind is "hard wired" to begin operating at birth, beginning a lifetime process of acquisition through abstraction
Abstraction
Abstraction is a process by which higher concepts are derived from the usage and classification of literal concepts, first principles, or other methods....
, induction
Inductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning, also known as induction or inductive logic, is a kind of reasoning that constructs or evaluates propositions that are abstractions of observations. It is commonly construed as a form of reasoning that makes generalizations based on individual instances...
, and conception.
The acquisition of empirical knowledge, which begins the process of filling the tabula rasa, is thus by means of the experience of sensation and perception. Though sensation and perception are described elsewhere in Wikipedia as parts of "psychology, and not [of] anatomy or physiology," they belong to cognitive science
Cognitive science
Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It includes research on how information is processed , represented, and transformed in behaviour, nervous system or machine...
.
[See also cognitive revolution
Cognitive revolution
The cognitive revolution is the name for an intellectual movement in the 1950s that began what are known collectively as the cognitive sciences. It began in the modern context of greater interdisciplinary communication and research...
and philosophy of perception
Philosophy of perception
The philosophy of perception is concerned with the nature of perceptual experience and the status of perceptual data, in particular how they relate to beliefs about, or knowledge of, the world. Any explicit account of perception requires a commitment to one of a variety of ontological or...
.]
The "five senses" referred to by the word sensation [see sense
Sense
Senses are physiological capacities of organisms that provide inputs for perception. The senses and their operation, classification, and theory are overlapping topics studied by a variety of fields, most notably neuroscience, cognitive psychology , and philosophy of perception...
] are metaphorically the interface between empirical (sensate) reality and the consciousness of the knowing subject. A knowing subject for the purpose of this discussion of knowledge acquisition may be defined as any conscious creature capable of deriving direct and immediate sensate data from its environment.
Sensate data, or sensation, are distinct from perception
Perception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
. Perception is the recognition within the knowing subject of the event of having had a sensation. The tabula rasa and must learn the nature of sensation as the awareness of something which is outside itself. Commonly recognized sensory systems are those for vision, hearing, somatic sensation (touch), taste and olfaction (smell). [See sensory system
Sensory system
A sensory system is a part of the nervous system responsible for processing sensory information. A sensory system consists of sensory receptors, neural pathways, and parts of the brain involved in sensory perception. Commonly recognized sensory systems are those for vision, hearing, somatic...
]
Perception is the retention of a group of sensations transmitted through the sensory system(s), which gives the knowing subject the ability to be aware, not only of the singularity of stimuli presented by sensation itself, but of an entity
Entity
An entity is something that has a distinct, separate existence, although it need not be a material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate.An entity could be viewed as a set...
, a thing
Object (philosophy)
An object in philosophy is a technical term often used in contrast to the term subject. Consciousness is a state of cognition that includes the subject, which can never be doubted as only it can be the one who doubts, and some object or objects that may or may not have real existence without...
, an existent.
Retention of percepts allows the human mind to abstract information from the percepts. The abstraction is considered the extensional definition
Extensional definition
An extensional definition of a concept or term formulates its meaning by specifying its extension, that is, every object that falls under the definition of the concept or term in question....
of the percept. An extension is "every object that falls under the definition of the concept or term in question." This is the same as a universal (metaphysics)
Universal (metaphysics)
In metaphysics, a universal is what particular things have in common, namely characteristics or qualities. In other words, universals are repeatable or recurrent entities that can be instantiated or exemplified by many particular things. For example, suppose there are two chairs in a room, each of...
or genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
or denotation
Denotation
This word has distinct meanings in other fields: see denotation . For the opposite of Denotation see Connotation.*In logic, linguistics and semiotics, the denotation of a word or phrase is a part of its meaning; however, the part referred to varies by context:** In grammar and literary theory, the...
, or class (philosophy)
Class (philosophy)
Philosophers sometimes distinguish classes from types and kinds. We can talk about the class of human beings, just as we can talk about the type , human being, or humanity...
.
Once a universal (class) has been identified, then the next step in the acquisition of knowledge is the abstraction of the intension
Intension
In linguistics, logic, philosophy, and other fields, an intension is any property or quality connoted by a word, phrase or other symbol. In the case of a word, it is often implied by the word's definition...
, which is the particular
Particular
In philosophy, particulars are concrete entities existing in space and time as opposed to abstractions. There are, however, theories of abstract particulars or tropes. For example, Socrates is a particular...
, the species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, or the connotation. Connotation as its meaning as particular
Particular
In philosophy, particulars are concrete entities existing in space and time as opposed to abstractions. There are, however, theories of abstract particulars or tropes. For example, Socrates is a particular...
is "the assertion that at least one member of one class of things is either included or excluded as a member of some other class." This means, for example, that a poodle is the particular in a class or universal concept called "dog" or "canine".