UNIT - 1

1. STRUCTURE AND FORMS OF

KNOWLEDGE

2. TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE

3. WAYS OF ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE

KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge stands for:-
Facts, information and skills acquired by a person through
experience or education.
theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

We can define knowledge as-

•the fact of knowing
•information or what is already known
•the whole of what can be learned or found out.
 Epistemology is the branch of Philosophy which deals with
knowledge.

Epistemology is derived from Greek words “episteme,”

meaning “knowledge,” and “logos,” meaning“study, or science,
of.”

So, Epistemology is study of knowledge/ science of knowledge

•Knowledge is expressed in propositions.

•A meaningful sentence that conveys truth or meaning is said to be a

proposition. For a sentence to be meaningful, the words in a sentence

should be meaningful. That is, the concepts expressed in the form of

words should be true.

 The philosopher Plato defined knowledge as—JUSTIFIED TRUTH BELIEF

In this definition there are three terms ‘Justification’, ‘Truth’ and ‘Belief’.

➢ Truth means if one knows a proposition( statement/assertion/belief) then that

proposition must be true. If the proposition is not true, then that person does not
know what he claims to know. If the proposition is true then it is knowledge and if
it is not true then it is an opinion.
➢ Belief here means that one knows a proposition/assertion/belief then he
believes that proposition/assertion/belief.
➢ Justification means that a practical condition/practical way is required for
justifying that the belief/proposition is true.

A proposition is a statement that expresses, judgement, belief or opinion.

Alvin Toffler (1970) meaning of knowledge, which includes
data, information, images and imagery, as well as attitudes,
values and other symbolic products of society whether true,
approximate or even false.

e.g. a square has four sides that are equal.

e.g. high taxation is undesirable

FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE
1) A PRIORI KNOWLEDGE
It’s a latin word which means “that which comes before”.
Derive through logical procedure. It is knowledge and facts that exist without the
need to experience it.
One can come to the conclusions through reason alone.
e.g. An engineer uses her A Priori knowledge of physics to guarantee that the
bridge she is building will withhold the weight of 50 trucks and 50 cars at a time.
e.g. 1 + 1 = 2. One can get the answer to it without using two objects to count
them.
Maths calculations
All mathematically or logically proved knowledge are A Priori knowledge/ A Priori
in nature.
A Priori knowledge has universal validity and once recognized truth through pure
reasoning does not require any evidence or proof.

Basically A Priori knowledge is figuring out or estimating the things based on

one’s previous knowledge.
 2) A POSTERIORI KNOWLEDGE
A Posteriori is a Latin word which means ‘that which comes after’. So, A
Posteriori knowledge, comes after we have had some experiences. Gained
through empirical means like observation,verification ,testing .
If we try to test any knowledge for its factual content or try to stand it on a
set of criteria for finding out the truth or falsity of it, then it is A Posteriori
Knowledge.
e.g. “Metals conduct heat and electricity” the truth or falsity of this
statement can be proved only through observations and experimentation.
e.g. The use of Principles of learning like ‘Learning by doing’ or use of Play
way method of learning or using problem solving method of teaching all help
the students in learning through experimentation /observation/ verification
and hence gives rise to A Posteriori Knowledge
3) EXPERENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge gained through experience.

Individuals experience in different situations.

It must be experienced to have value.

Going to the zoo to learn about animals through observation, instead of reading
about them.
Growing a garden to learn about photosynthesis instead of watching a movie
about it.
Hoping on a bicycle to try and learn to ride, instead of listening to your parent
explain the concept.
Field trips
 TYPES OF
KNOWLEDGE
1 . DECLARATIVE KNOWLEDGE/PROPOSITIONAL


The knowledge which has been empirically found out,established &

accepted.


Declarative knowledge refers to facts or information stored in the memory or

concepts or principles that is considered static in nature.


Declarative knowledge is about facts, concepts, and principles that apply

within a certain field. It is proved or established knowledge.

The information acquired that one can speak about all "ABOUT" the things

we know or can declare facts and events that can be stored and easily be

recalled.
 Cont….
Declarative knowledge, also referred to as conceptual, propositional or
descriptive knowledge, describes things, events, or processes; their
attributes; and their relation to each other.

Eg. Water boils at 100 degree on a plain surface is tested and found out.

Maths sum - 2+2=4

Friday comes after Thursday

Historical dates
2. PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE
The knowledge of knowing the procedure of doing something is
Procedural knowledge/non-propositional knowledge.

It is the knowledge of how to do something.

The individual with procedural knowledge knows the problems

and the procedure to solve the problem.

In order to carry out a particular task .

 Eg-Riding bicycle,Baking of cake

3. FUNCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE
The knowledge of how a process works or how a function happens is called
functional Knowledge.
The functional knowledge of any process includes the fundamentals, principles
and standards of any process/function. Functional knowledge helps in
understanding how a process operates.
An individual with this knowledge that helps in doing a thing.

A person who has declarative knowledge as well as procedural knowledge will

be able to use functional knowledge.
e.g. knowledge of steps of solving a mathematical problem
E.g. knowledge of how a scientific process works.
Eg.Motor mechanic
4. CONDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
The student’s awareness of when, where, and why other types of
knowledge( declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge) should be used is
called Conditional knowledge.
Knowledge about completing a task.It is also knowing when & why to apply
the procedures and strategies to complete that task.
The individual who possess this knowledge is said to have holistic knowledge.

Eg.Which teaching strategies I should use in class.

e.g. use of law of readiness to prepared students ready to learn in the

classroom is the use of conditional knowledge.
5. EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE

Explicit knowledge is any kind of knowledge that is easily articulated, written and

stored in physical form so that it is accessible. Recorded and communicated through

mediums.

Common examples of explicit knowledge are libraries, databases, books and

documents,gadgets and appliances manuals.

This knowledge can be passed on through different tools like writing,oral tradition,

etc. It can be expressed in words and numbers and shared in the form of data,

scientific formulae, manuals, etc.

It can be readily passed on to individuals and groups formally and systematically and

is well- organised.
6. IMPLICIT KNOWLEDGE

Implicit knowledge is, essentially, learned skills or know-how.

Some examples of implicit knowledge are knowing how to walk, run,

ride a bicycle or swim.

Such knowledge can never be adequately codified and passed to

others through any verbal ,written or pictorial expression.

Eg. Pickles preparation by grandma, Composing music

7. PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE
We learn from personal experiences.

E.g. Touching fire ,hot water we get to know it is hot.

8. CONCRETE KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge about things that exactly exist now or existed earlier and are factually
found to be correct .Eg. Dinosaurs, subject knowledge ,smoke ,mist

9. ABSTRACT KNOWLWDGE
Things which derive meaning ,not through our sensory experiences but from
thinking and reasoning .e.g. Expanding the essay any content.,
beauty ,truth ,justice
10. SCHOOL KNOWLEDGE

The knowledge that we gain from school i.e in classroom

learning,library,textbooks ,lab,playground etc.

11. OUT OF SCHOOL KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge gained from outside of the classroom i.e. curricular & non-curricular
learning expriences outside the school environment.
E.g- Museums,market place, auditorium,Family,community
12. PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE
It involves actual implementation of the things which you have studied in
theory.

13. THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE

It is getting information about something through reading,
seeing,hearing.
WAYS OF ACQUIRING
KNOWLEDGE
 1. SENSE EXPERIENCE
Sense experience is the major source of knowledge which comes through
senses.

Modern science is empirical in methods; concepts are formed as a result of

sense experience.

By seeing, smelling, touching, tasting, hearing and so on.

It is through touching and seeing we know that there is a table in front of us

For example, one can get closer and confirm whether it is a rope or a snake.
Thus, one can get the knowledge about the external world through external
senses.
 2. AUTHORITY
Method of acquiring knowledge is the acceptance of an idea as valid knowledge
because of some respected source.

The person whose word we take on authority must really be an authority, one who is
a specialist in his field of knowledge.

The knowledge claimed by the authority should have acceptance by the community
members who are also experts in that area.

Eg. Writings of Gandhiji,Aristotle,Dictionary,Parents ,Teachers

 3. INTUITION
The power of obtaining knowledge that cannot be acquired either by inference
or observation ,by reason or experience.

It is a label for a certain kind of experience when a conviction of certainty comes
upon us quite suddenly like a flash.

When Archimedes ran out from his bath tub shouting ‘Eureka, Eureka’, had just
gained such intuitive knowledge which he subsequently verified by means of an
experiment.(Archimedes Principle)

Weather predictions
4. TRADITIONS & CUSTOMS
Man derives knowledge from tradition & customs.
Handed down from generations.Eg- Food,clothes
5. TENACITY
It is the willingness to accept idea as valid knowledge because that idea
has been accepted for a long period of time.
Eg-Removing shoes and covering head in religious places.
6. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
We learn from personal experience to grow particular plants
Observation-By observing our surrounding we gain experience and try
to correlate with our life,society,nation
Knowledge by doing-Touching fire ,hot water we get to know it is hot.
 7. REASON
o It is a way of thinking in which knowledge is developed through
reasoning and logical process.

oReason is the capacity for consciously making sense of things, applying

logic, establishing and verifying facts, and changing or justifying
practices, institutions, and beliefs based on new or existing information.

There are two types of reasoning which serve as the source of

knowledge
(i) Deductive
In a deductive reasoning, the conclusion logically follows from the
premises.
If the premises are true, the conclusion that follows must be true. For
example,
A) If it is raining, the streets will be wet.(Major Premise)
It is raining.(Minor Premise)
Therefore, the streets will be wet.

B) All men are mortal.

John is a man.
Therefore, he is mortal.
Sometimes, the premises may be true, but there may not be valid
arguments.

For example,
 India is a democratic country.
 2 plus 2 equals 4.
 Therefore, he is-driving the car.

Hence, you can say that in order to know that a conclusion is true,
we have to know that the premises are true and the argument is
valid i.e. the conclusion follows logically from the premises.
(ii) Inductive
In inductive reasoning, the premises provide evidences for the conclusion - but
not complete evidence. The conclusion is not certain but only probable to a
certain degree. For example,
A) Crow 1 is black.
Crow 2 is black.
Crow 3 is black, (and so on for 10,000 crows or more than that)
Therefore, all crows are black.

B) Iron conducts heat and electricity.

Copper conducts heat and electricity.
Aluminum conducts heat and electricity.
(and so on for all metals).
Therefore, all metals conduct heat and electricity.
In inductive reasoning, truth is established based on earlier evidences for
something.

Based on the repeated observations.

In an inductive argument, we rely on certain laws of nature, which are formulated
based on certain recurring uniformities in the course of our experience.
8. REVELATION AND FAITH

Knowledge contained in Vedas or world scriptures like Quran ,Bible is revealed

knowledge.

 Knowledge, in the context of faith, is the act of learning about God.

9. EXPERIMENTATION
It is a way of gaining knowledge through observation of real events ,that
is knowing by experiencing & experimentation through our senses.
It should be observable,verifiable,testable ,replicable.
Eg. science experiments