Optimism & Knowledge
Final project
The Present
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest". Benjamin Franklin
The Age of Epistemological Optimism
It is difficult to overestimate the role of knowledge in the history of the world’s ancient civilizations, and in today's society. It is thanks to the eternal pursuit of knowledge that we are able to move forward by developing our identities, communities and even humanity as a whole. Some knowledge allows us to make money, other – to discover new laws of physics, yet another – to solve routine everyday problems, and so on. Now we live in an amazing time when the quantity of information is increasing rapidly, and the availability of knowledge is endless. Moreover, the most amazing property of the acquired knowledge is that it cannot be stolen or taken by force, but becomes an unfailing tool you can use to solve arising issues and problems.
With such boundless opportunities to gain such a durable treasure, the modern day can be entitled as the Age of Epistemological Optimism.
Applying Systematic Knowledge
In this Age of Epistemological Optimism, information is frequently taken for granted. In contrast to the times of Francis Bacon with his New Organon, there is little doubt now that humankind has the potential to comprehend the world before it, without getting “stuck” in the process. As a thing in itself, knowledge has almost become unpopular. Instead, it is the extraordinary perspectives that matter; the innumerable possibilities of direct application of this knowledge that capture the greatest minds of this day and age.
In the most general sense, the main application of obtained (whether through systematic learning or through direct experience) knowledge is in problem-solving. Clearly, it is irrational to start the process of problem-solving without having accurately diagnosed, or defined, the problem at stake. As the complexity of a problem grows, so does (usually) the algorithm of necessary actions that can be tried in order to eradicate it. The notions of a ‘problem’ and of ‘problem-solving’ can be understood both literally and in a more abstract, more global sense. Naturally, a first-grader solving a simple math problem is facing a less crucial difficulty than a father of five children, who has just been fired from his job. Nevertheless, both need to go through a similar algorithm, where the first step would be to determine the scope of the problem, and to formulate the end goal. Only then will be the time for applying the existing knowledge (performing addition or subtraction; calling a friend who has been looking for an assistant), or doing an extra step of looking for the missing parts of the puzzle (asking the teacher for a formula; browsing recruitment websites in search for vacancies).
Is It That Simple?
As straightforward as this algorithm may seem, the first step often becomes the very stumbling block that hinders future success. Defining the scope of the problem can often be subtle, and require much greater knowledge and experience than one could initially imagine. Clearly, no doctor can treat his patient without really understanding the disease and recognizing its manifestations. But how sure and confident can he possibly be in knowing the reason behind his patient’s illness? After years of learning and practice, even the most experienced doctors can miss a sign or two, which would otherwise make the patient’s headache a consequence of a migraine, instead of the wrongly diagnosed hypertension. A distinctive symptom might go unnoticed, and the subsequently wrong diagnosis will take the medical problem-solving strategy in a completely wrong direction.
Similarly, in socio-economic studies, ‘corruption’ seems to be the magical umbrella term, which covers all possible illicit actions that hinder a country’s development through the leakage of money from the state budget. However, this single word is too general and bears in it too many layers of meanings; as such, it is unreasonable to start fighting corruption as an abstract phenomenon. It is important to recognize its true scope, and know how to target specific manifestations. Why are most of the roads in Russia in a terrible state, with holes and gaps appearing more frequently than areas of smooth road surface? Is it the dishonesty of government agents, starting from the highest positions at the Federal Highway Agency, who cannot resist the temptation to pocket some of the money that passes through their hands on a regular basis? Well, then they should be prosecuted and replaced with more trustworthy individuals. Or is it because most trucks circulating along Russian roads are improperly loaded and overweight? Overloaded trucks damage the layer of gravel at the bottom of the road surface much faster than it would erode under moderate stress, which subsequently shortens the road’s lifespan. In this case, replacing government agents will do little good. Instead, the solution would be to enforce strict regulations over cargo-carrying vehicles.
In a word, however subtle a problem is, it is absolutely crucial to gain accurate knowledge about the issue you are dealing with, and to truly appreciate its scope. Without this initial step, there will be no road ahead, and the quest of problem-solving will be destined for ultimate failure. These examples show that present-day epistemological optimism is no longer limited by the tools which are used to gain knowledge; instead, it is now determined by a man’s ability to correctly interpret, and make sense of, the information he is confronted with.
Knowledge As a Shared Resource
In the present-day world, knowledge penetrates through all the fields of human activities. It is an interesting trend to observe through time: the earliest practices of education started as a set of separate skills that one could acquire through apprenticeship; next, a more formal model of education was established, where the world was taught through comprehensive schooling, which was not strictly delimited by areas (or departments) of study; then, the divisions between such departments became more pronounced, and increased specificity of classification seemed to widen the gap between them (e.g. natural and social sciences). At this day and age, however, the trend seems to be reverting. Distinct research departments start drawing connections and uniting in the quest for shared knowledge. The flow of knowledge now resembles little springs which, running down from the high mountains and into the valleys, combine to form wider rivers, which in turn collect into vast oceans.
A doctor cannot be sure whether he has cured his patient without first knowing what a healthy person (or a healthy organ, a healthy tissue, etc.) looks like. Information about normal functioning of healthy systems, in turn, would not be available without the hard work of biologists. It is because of their work, their discoveries and subsequent classifications, that doctors are able to access information regarding causality and treatment. In a word, knowledge gets passed on, with the smallest steps marking the beginning of an infinitely long journey: from an accidental discovery of penicillin to the modern-day library of known bacteria and antibiotics; from Mendel’s curiosity about the looks of pea plants to the rapidly expanding field of genetics. Biologists stand behind the production of explanatory knowledge, but this creative act has a direct application in the field of medicine. Here, knowledge, again, acts at the very underlying principle of any problem-solving mechanism: medical students study biology and chemistry in order to understand normal functioning of the processes involved in human metabolism – KNOWLEDGE OF A HEALTHY SYSTEM; they work hard on acquiring theoretical and practical knowledge of known diseases – KNOWLEDGE OF POTENTIAL FAULTS AND ERRORS IN THE SYSTEM; at last, having understood the nature of a disease, they learn of the methods of treatment – KNOWLEDGE OF ERROR-CORRECTION.
Similarly, it is in the best interest of politicians and government agents to eradicate corruption, but little can be done without understanding social psychology. Just like in medicine, there are actual scientists standing behind the numerous theories and practices of anti-corruption policies. Sociologists and psychologists study the human nature through numerous experiments – KNOWLEDGE OF A HEALTHY SYSTEM; they look at incentives that can cause deviation from behaving according to social norms – KNOWLEDGE OF POTENTIAL FAULTS AND ERRORS IN THE SYSTEM; and only then do they provide government agents with possible solutions: increased salaries and awards designed specifically to reward honest behaviour; enforced prosecution of corrupt officials to show that illicit actions can and will be detected and punished, and so on – KNOWLEDGE OF ERROR-CORRECTION.
In a word, knowledge does not stand on its own feet, and neither is it confined within small areas of study. Instead, gained intelligence is becoming a shared depository, for which there is a constant, never-ending supply of explanatory knowledge.