this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2024
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That's a pretty simple distinction, but you've asked for us to define abstract concepts without using definitions or abstract concepts. So let's just say, knowledge is what you know and beliefs are what you believe. A belief implies some level of doubt, while knowledge is just the information you have in your head. There is a lot of overlap. I know that the sun will rise tomorrow, because I understand how the earth rotates and orbits the sun. I believe it will happen because I understand physics and observable phenomena. Put it another way, it is a high-confidence belief based on the knowledge obtained through observation and study. Some beliefs are based on nothing more than hope, and some knowledge is beyond any doubt. I believe the Phillies can win the World Series, but I know our bullpen pitches cantaloupes and our hitters are streaky as shit.
What if you should have some doubt (belief) but due to ignorance or hubris do not and so you elevate a concept to 'knowledge' that should not rightfully be there? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm genuinely curious about that gray area of misplaced confidence.
Then you apply the scientific method and/or research in search of truth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
What you're asking about there seems like it's really: "Is something being knowledge vs belief subjective or objective?"
The answer, just like for "is cereal soup?", is that it's all semantics. It's not like there's some Authority who's created the Platonic Form of Knowledge that Beliefs cannot partake of, and there's a clear delineation between Knowledge and Belief. We're just using these weird shapes, sounds, hand gestures, or whatever else to try to do telepathy and get our thoughts into someone else's head. Like all semantic questions, what this comes down to is: have you chosen the right word to convey your thought? If people seem to not be getting it, try the other one.
It sounds like youβre interested in epistemology. Take a dive into this Wikipedia article and give at least the parts on Justified True Beliefs a read.
No I'm not. I am not interested in academic study. I am interested in real world application. I am aware of justified true belief and that most people don't apply it. My curiosity is in how people acnually think about the concept.
That's a fair question, but we're in danger of conflating two different concepts. Knowledge is the information, and belief is the action. It's a little bit like having money vs spending money. You can have money, you can spend money, and you can have spending money, and you can spend money you don't have. These are all slightly different concepts despite using the same words.
When you think you know something, but you are mistaken, we call that a "belief" even though you did not doubt it. You believe you know something without a doubt, but you are wrong. You do not know, and you should doubt your belief. But you would never describe it as a belief, because you do not believe you do not know for certain.