"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world."
Albert Einstein
ABC Wednesday’s prompt letter K for this week made me pick ‘Knowledge and Knowing’ to discourse upon. These two interesting K words aroused my curiosity to explore the two concepts and their semantics. This doesn’t however, mean that I’m going to philosophize and talk scholarly about less traveled realms. It is nothing of the kind. I simply wish to comprehend the difference between the usage of the two.
Knowledge to my mind is the huge database stored in our minds, gathered from books, internet searches, information received during formally educating ourselves, the information imparted through print, electronic media and ever-increasing other sources being developed in the modern technological world. Knowledge though vast is taken as finite and quantifiable.
However, knowing, as I understand is entirely different. It is an experience that is personal, subjective, and infinite. Knowing has depth and is experienced like mindfulness. It is like waking meditation. It helps to unwind, to find joy and to promote uncommon mental upswings. It is not 2+2=4. It is very private and without boundaries.
Here I take a simple example of my special bonding with a creature, who is endearing. Surprisingly I love squirrels and keep them in high regard. They are my all weather friends. Occasionally my rendezvous with them happens when I go for a walk in an adjacent park filled with trees, shrubs, flower patches etc. Soon after I enter the park and take a few steps, invariably, I encounter a pair of squirrels hopping and frolicking on the pavement in front of me. It seems as if they recognize me and take me as their admirer. Joyfully and teasingly, they lead me bouncing and stopping alternatively to match my speed. To tease them back I make a sudden jump towards them and Lo with lightning quickness, they make an effortless and lovingly graceful long jump onto the sturdy trunk of a Neem tree.
Their frolicking and romping spree continues as if to entertain me and attract my attention further. My focus narrows down to their antics. Totally, inspired I feel feathery light. I experience their experience. My observation parameters reach optimum levels and I feel a transient seeping in of energized otherworldliness. The baggage of cynicism sweeps away. A new me enthused to make my day the most productive one emerges. The peak of gladness in the sun-filled ambiance rubs in on me. I come back refreshed, relaxed and eager to go. Such moments I think are knowing moments.
This perhaps is knowing, something very distinct from knowledge and very original.
Interesting thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI like your experience with the squirrels & equating knowing with awareness.
I love observing squirrels too. They are always into some activity :)
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ReplyDelete'knowledge' is about facts, information, and skills acquired through experience and/or education, and suggests theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. 'knowing' suggests one has a secret understanding shared only by a select few, or doing something with full awareness. you may have some general 'knowledge' about squirrels - where they live, what they eat, what they look like, how they behave. saying you 'know' squirrels suggests a sort of psychic bond that gives you a special understanding of them not shared by most other people. either way, it sounds like you had a nice walk in the park, and enjoyed chasing the wildlife.
ReplyDeleteI don't think knowledge is finite because we haven't discovered all there is to know. How can we know how much knowledge there is anyway? Some knowledge becomes outdated or updated or proved as wrong. I'm with you: knowledge is concrete while knowing is subjective. Knowing is a deeper sense that is sometimes hard to establish in what is known. So I see it.
ReplyDeleteWe seldom get to see squirrels in our area but whenever I have the chance, I get excited and enjoy watching it running across the power line or branches.
ReplyDeleteThe more we learn…. the more we learn that we have learned far to little ;-)
ReplyDeleteWell as long as the fun wast a 'joint venture' too I am all good ;-)
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I like both. But I'm pretty sure I know what I know bookwise. Still learning the other stuff!
ReplyDeleteYou always have a very thoughtful post and I love that you link in...Michelle
ReplyDeleteYou defined the both well in simple way. I think knowledge is what we earns from outsource other than us and knowing is a natural process we grasp through experience.
ReplyDeleteInteresting take on the prompt and the word, liked your experience with the squirrels.
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