Knowledge
Islam requires Muslims to seek knowledge:-
"Say, "O Lord! Increase me in knowledge." 20:114
"Say: Are those who know and those who do not know alike? But only the men of understanding are mindful." 39:9
"And follow (or pursue) not that of which you have no knowledge; verily, the hearing, the sight, and the heart, of all of these it shall be asked (to give an account)." 17:36
The question is: What is Knowledge and how is it obtained.
The Quran tells us:-
"Allah, He is the Real, and that whereon they call instead of Him is the False, and because Allah, He is the High, the Great." 22:62
Reality is, and this requires no proof. It is the first and fundamental assumption. The second assumption is that consciousness exists. If reality did not exist then there would be no consciousness. But we know about Reality because we interact with it and experience it in consciousness. The existence of consciousness is, therefore, a direct assumption, whereas Reality is a Transcendental Assumption. It offers resistance to our consciousness - we cannot freely manipulate these experiences. But there is more to Reality than we experience, because things come into and go out of consciousness.
The third assumption is that the contents of consciousness exist and that they refer to something in Reality. The contents of experience are of three types:- (a) External to the observer- something having inertia and regarded as material. But there is no reason to suppose that there is some substance called matter separate and wholly distinct from other experiences. (b) Mediate - organic, concerned with relationships such as feelings, emotions, pain and pleasure, desire, tension, motion. These give us the notion of life. (c) Internal - experiences like thought, moods, awareness, states of being. They provide the notion of consciousness or spirit.
These three can be regarded as different aspects of the same fundamental substance. They correspond to the three levels of Reality mentioned above. This also allows us to distinguish between levels in all things, including human beings.
Whereas, Reality (apart from consciousness) is Fundamental, a Unity, an Absolute, the contents constitute a multiplicity of Relative experiences. Consciousness connects them. We can represent these three as concentric circles, one containing the next:- "A" > "C" > "E".
Real things "R" can be defined as things as they are created and seen by Allah to distinguish them from things as seen in human experience "E" or description "D". They exist in interconnection with all other created things forming a self-consistent system with respect to which they have a function.
When experience corresponds to Reality then we have Truth. Truth can be defined as consciousness of Reality. It does not refer to the verbal description of experiences. These consist of systems of signs or symbols, languages "L", by which human beings communicate with each other. They point to experiences. A verbal statement is true if it corresponds to an experience. Its truth-value will differ according to the nature of the experiencing mind. Communication of truth depends on (a) creating a commonly understood language (system of signs and symbols), (b) creating similarity of minds or (c) inducing experiences. These require the creation and application of appropriate techniques.
Reality, Experience and Description form three different levels or worlds. The first two are connected by consciousness "C" and the other two by language "L". To this can be added a fourth level Products "P" through Action "A". We have "R" > "E" > "D" > "P", where the last term is the same as the first, i.e. a Product is a Real object. This forms a circle. This gives us 7 stages divided into 4 levels and 3 media. There is a connection between Consciousness and Language in that we tend to name things that we become conscious of, and we tend to become conscious of things that are named. Language can, therefore, facilitate the growth of Consciousness and vice versa. There is also a similar reciprocal connection between Language and Action and between Consciousness and Action.
Existence is a Unity. However, when experienced, it has parts and these are interconnected and inter-dependent. Each entity or organism exists in an environment consisting of other things with which it is directly or indirectly connected. There is an interaction between a person and his environment such that each acts on the other and provokes a reaction from the other depending on their nature and the kind of relationship that exists between them. Each can be regarded as a subject "S" with respect to the other, the object "O", mediated by the relating factor or medium "M". This takes three interdependent forms:- (a) Knowledge, which refers to the effect and depends on the receptivity of the subject. (b) State, which refers to the condition, attitude, motive, mental set etc. of the subject with respect to the object. This affects the knowledge and the action of the subject. (c) Action, by which the subject produces changes of state in the object.
Each of these, however, can be divided into similar categories. There are actions designed to obtain knowledge or to modify motives or to create something material. There are motives and desires connected with each. There is Academic knowledge about the nature of things, ethical knowledge, and the knowledge involved in skills.
Knowledge depends on the nature of the observing mind "S", the thing observed "O" and the relationship between them "M". In general, there is a medium of communication between the object and subject such as light. The object "O" modifies the medium of communication or transmits certain modified impulses or influences according to its nature. These are received and organised by the observing mind according to (a) Its sensitivity and degree of consciousness (b) Its motives (c) inherent categories that have developed over the whole evolutionary history of adjustment to the world. These give rise to such notions Truth, Justice, Beauty, Usefulness etc.
It is supposed that the modification or change "Cm" in the medium corresponds to the nature of the object and that the impression "Sm" on the subject will correspond to "Cm", and therefore, also to the nature of the object. This correspondence, however, does not mean that it is identical. Nor is the modification "Cm" independent of the nature of "M" or the impression "Sm" independent of the nature of "S". These could possibly change.
Thus, Experiential Knowledge (EK) is not the same thing as the object, which might be thought of as being in the knowledge of God as Absolute Knowledge (AK). When these experiences are codified in words for the purpose of transmission, then this Descriptive or Verbal Knowledge (VK) is not the same thing as the other two. The medium here is the language and the culture. The transmitter translates his experience "Et" into a verbal capsule "Ve" which corresponds to his experiences. This has to be deciphered by the recipient back into an experience "Er" that will correspond to "Ve", and therefore, to "Et". The code or medium "M" will have to be the same for both transmitter and recipient. But "Er", "Et", "Vm" and "M" are interpreted within the different system of experiences of the persons communicating. "Et" is not the same as "Er". It is only when the whole environment for both is the same and they have been trained similarly in the same language with the same experiences then "Et" will correspondence more closely to "Er".
There can be different degrees of correspondence between (a) the experiences of people and the objects and (b) between the description and the experience and (c) between experiences of different people.
The Quran recognises three levels of knowledge:-
Ilm-ul-Yaqin (Quran 102:5) - The Lore of Certainty. Descriptive, verbal or rational knowledge.
Ain-ul-Yaqin (Quran 102:7) - The Eye of Certainty. Experiential knowledge.
Haqq-ul-Yaqin (Quran 69:51) - The Truth of Certainty. Gnosis, the Knowledge of the heart.
These have been compared to tidings about fire, seeing fire and being transformed by fire:-
"(Remember) When Moses said to his people, "Verily, I perceive a fire, I will bring you therefrom news; or I will bring you a burning brand that ye may be warmed." 27:7 See also 17:36 and other verses
All have three functions:- (a) with respect to perception and thought (b) with respect to motives and moral behaviour, (c) with respect to action and interaction with things in the environment and this includes skills, techniques, crafts, industry, and personal relationships. There is, therefore, much more to Reason, Aql, than is understood in the West by the term.
These three sources of knowledge can be described as follows:-
(1) Personal:- (a) Through the External Senses. (b) Inner processes - desires, striving, pain, pleasure, fear, feelings, emotions, love, thoughts etc. (c) Inherent - knowledge connected with one's own organism, its processes and laws. This is normally outside our consciousness, but must have some effect on the conscious processes. But it does give us such notions or experiences as "I", consciousness, conscience, will, mind, soul, faith etc.
(2) Indirect - (a) Reported by or acquired from others usually verbally but not necessarily so. It could be gleaned by observing behaviour and reactions, or unconscious induction. (b) Inferred through a process of reasoning, analogy, measuring, calculation, application of techniques and procedures, or by extenuation of perceived trends. Reasoning is not necessarily a conscious act, but could be sub-conscious or unconscious and its results or inferences could enter consciousness as unsupported convictions. (c) Much of reasoning is done in words spoken or written) or some other signs or symbols, which require a language and a grammar and Logical procedures, which are based on rules that are not the same as those of nature. Words may be definitions that refer to a restricted group of characteristics (connotation) that correspond to no objects, events or relationships (denotations). They may have different meanings in different contexts and for different people. People may agree verbally but be experientially in disagreement or vice versa. The medium of communication and the whole social and cultural context in which it is embedded will affect what people experience and understand. This aspect, the context, has (a) physical, (b) social and (c) psychological aspects. It tends to be left out of consideration by logicians because it is assumed that all will be operating in the same Field of Discourse. But human beings deal with a restricted Field of Reality and therefore, different people deal in different Fields. As the whole of Reality is One, influences from the rest of reality can have an impact on the Field being dealt with, falsifying any certain conclusion. These must remain uncertain to various degrees.
(3) Transcendental - This refers to knowledge that is normally outside our consciousness, but may enter it from the sub-conscious or unconscious mind and the corresponding areas of Reality that we are not normally aware of. It sees things as part of a greater whole, forming a self-consistent system with respect to which it has a function. Such information has multiple connections with other information and is, therefore, much more certain. As people differ in intelligence and consciousness, conscience and will (self-control), the knowledge of those who are better endowed in this respect can be regarded as Transcendental relative to others. It includes (a) Revelation, Inspiration, intuition. (b) Gnosis, self-identification and the apprehension of what is self-evident. (c) Direct contact with things through empathy and possibly resonance.
Information from experience can be false owing to defects in sense organs, insufficient attention, illusions and hallucinations. This is why indirect corroboration from others and through reason is also required. But these can also give false information owing to defective information processing, delusions, insufficient and inappropriate data, misorganisation and misunderstandings. To rectify these defects, it is generally necessary to refer to Transcendental knowledge. This includes that which is already established as certain and the knowledge of the more Conscious and able. Transcendental information can be confused with prejudice, fantasy, wishful thinking, addictions and rationalisation of self-interest.
These defects can be dealt with in three ways:- (a) There must be a constant search and expansion of knowledge, constant review, and co-ordination of the three sources of knowledge. (b) The development of the capacities for consciousness (awareness), conscience (appropriate motives) and will (self-control and skills). (c) Knowledge must be applied in life - that is its purpose. Ultimately, the truth of things is established by how well it enables adjustment to Reality, whether it produces development and self-fulfilment or suffering and destruction. Reality itself is the ultimate test of Truth.
"...He may try you by that which He has given you. Therefore, vie with one another in virtue. Unto Allah will you all return, and He will then inform you concerning that wherein you dispute." 5:48 See also 6:165, 9:105
Experience has seven aspects:- extension, duration, intensity, repetition, relation (with other experiences), relevance (to the observer), value (function in a system). The greater these are the greater the impression in memory.
Experience undergoes processing in the mind through stages, which consists of comparison, association, analysis and synthesis based on the perception of similarities and differences. This depends on the sensitivity of the mind, its ability to discriminate, abstract and harmonise. Repetition of experiences causes features that are alike to become reinforced and extracted, leaving other features that might be reinforced by other experiences. In general if one compares two or more things and extracts what is common, one also isolates the differences and vice versa. Thus from an initial unitary, uniform state there is progressive differentiation into multiplicity. At the same time, to cope with this multiplicity, there is an opposite process of progressive synthesis through several levels. This reflects the Creation and Evolution of the Universe itself. The search and increase of knowledge by which the organism itself evolves can be seen as a reversal of the process of creation or involution. The former may be driven and stimulated by it. Or each may require the other to maintain equilibrium or some basic Law of Conservation of Order.
(1) Experience provides raw data in the form of sensations through our 7 senses - colours, smells, sounds, tastes, feel, weight, orientation etc.
(2) This is related with other sensations already in memory to form percepts. Percepts provide us with objects, events, relationships, patterns (organisation).
(3) Abstraction of common elements creates concepts.
(4) These are connected together to provide ideas.
(5) Ideas are organised into systems.
(6) Abstraction from systems provide us with Universal Forms.
(7) These are organised into what might be called Archetypes. Some of the entities or beings described or experienced in religions could refer to these.
Reason, rational thinking is done by means of concepts. All things are changing and each experience is a separate experience, but life requires that there is something predictable and controllable. Thinking, therefore, requires that there be some repetition and order. This causes all reasoning to be fundamentally analogical thinking. This means that something "a1" is like something "a2" and "a3"…etc. It creates classes, the members of which share some features. But as no two things are wholly alike, there will also be differences, features that may be like those possessed by other entities in other classes. There is no absolute distinction or separation between things. Things may resemble many other things depending on which features we can perceive and select for attention.
The higher levels of synthesis generally take place at the unconscious level. But they affect conscious thinking to various degrees. Though personal experiences (both of the external and internal type) may be organised to these higher levels they are also inbuilt features which can be regarded as racial memory formed over evolutionary history and transmitted genetically as well as culturally (though unconsciously). Thus a resonance or contact is made between the acquired and the inherent and between the personal and the racial. A feeling of certainty forms when these three, the inherent and the external and internal experience coincide. Only this should properly be called faith.
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