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An introduction to epistemology, exploring the difference between knowing a fact and having a skill.
Imagine you read every book ever written about how to ride a bicycle, but you've never actually touched one. If you hopped on a bike right now, would you fall over? Do you truly 'know' how to ride?
Have you ever argued with a friend about whether something was 'true'? If so, you were doing epistemology. This word comes from the Greek words episteme (knowledge) and logos (study). Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that investigates the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge. Philosophers in this field aren't just interested in what we know, but how we know it and what it even means to 'know' something in the first place. They generally focus on three big questions: 1. What is knowledge? 2. How do we get it? 3. How much can we actually know? By asking these, we learn to separate mere opinions from solid truths.
Quick Check
What are the two Greek words that form the term 'epistemology'?
Answer
Episteme (knowledge) and logos (study).
Quick Check
What is a 'proposition' in philosophy?
Answer
A statement that can be either true or false.
Procedural knowledge is very different. It is often called 'knowing how.' This isn't about facts you can recite; it's about skills or abilities you can perform. You might know that a piano has 88 keys (propositional), but that doesn't mean you know how to play a Mozart concerto (procedural). This type of knowledge is usually gained through practice and 'muscle memory' rather than just reading a book. You can't easily explain exactly how to balance on a bike to someone else; they have to feel it for themselves.
Consider a professional chef. 1. The chef knows that adding salt enhances flavor (Propositional). 2. The chef knows how to dice an onion at lightning speed without looking (Procedural). One is a piece of information; the other is a physical mastery developed over time.
Quick Check
Can you gain procedural knowledge just by reading a textbook?
Answer
No, procedural knowledge usually requires practice or performance of a skill.
Which branch of philosophy studies the nature and limits of knowledge?
Knowing that $$ is an example of which type of knowledge?
Procedural knowledge is primarily gained through reading and memorizing facts.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to explain to a friend the difference between 'knowing that' and 'knowing how' using the example of playing a video game.
Practice Activity
Make a list of three things you 'know' today. Label each one as either Propositional or Procedural.