JOSEPH HOLBROOK
KNOWLEDGE: True Knowledge is Noble. It's the goal of observation, the building blocks from which technology is erected, the foundation from which wisdom is gleaned and the base from which imagination is launched.
I have a problem with how the word "Knowledge" is generally defined and used these days. Rather than encompassing any and all information that anyone might gather and remember, I think the word should only apply as a harbinger of "truth", dealing with or leading to "truthfulness". "Knowledge" should be authentic, factual, ethically and even morally held in the highest esteem.
This doesn’t include Fiction by any means, or any other such cause that entertains or serves as an expression of the artistic mind. And it doesn't necessarily include the investigation of new realms. Theoretical underpinnings sometimes appear useless but are absolutely required in order to formulate roads toward certainty. Exploration might involve metaphorical or less than accurate data that can trigger worthwhile treks and even epiphanies. Believe me, I'm not without latitude regarding definitions.
My problem lies almost exclusively with useless information about useless subjects. Even these forays have their place, but when useless subjects are naively "believed" in, or purposely passed on as truthful when they're obviously not, "knowledge" hardly seems the appropriate term for the information about them, or contained within them.
Astrology is a good example. It has a long, long History, but it is finally, and to say the very most, a useless pseudo-science. No matter how charming it is. There's a lot of information within Astrology, but I just don't think that sort of information qualifies as "Knowledge". Perhaps "Igknowledge" would be a better term. And as a verb. . . ."Igknows". Astrology igknowledge, then, would be something that a practicing Astrologer igknows.
There would be an exception, of course, if the goal was to collect information regarding, say, the History of a useless subject, in order to pass it along with the understanding that it IS useless. That would qualify as Knowledge. Actually: Knowledge about Igknowledge would be the way to say it I suppose. Too complex? Maybe that's why there isn't an accepted terminology here. At least in part, because we’re still not all that sure what the truth is.
KNOWLEDGE ?
