Can new knowledge change establish values or beliefs?
Key Terms
Knowledge
There isn't one specific definition of what constitutes as knowledge. However, broadly defined, Knowledge is the interpretation of information, which could be justified with empirical evidence or our past experiences. Knowledge can be shared (multiple members of society believe in some knowledge) or can be personal (each person has their unique understanding or interpretation of it).
Knowledge is also constantly evolving over time. The world is constantly growing, hence with more research, theories, and information everyone's knowledge about our world and themselves also change. For example, initially, when Columbus reach the Americas, he believed it was India. Hence, his knowledge was limited but upon further interaction and research, they found out that it was actually America, hence knowledge about the location changed.
Knowledge is also impacted by each person's beliefs and past experiences. No two individuals have the same experiences, hence their prior bias changes the way they interpret new knowledge. For example, due to my education, I am aware of the repercussions of littering and ruining my environment. However, someone from another background may not have been taught this, hence they may not possess the knowledge to understand the repercussions of their actions if they dirty the environment. Their knowledge isn't the same as mine since it depends on our experiences.
Values
These are our sense of right and wrong. Values are often personal since they depend on each individual's discretion. For example, I may believe that saying a white lie is alright since I am trying to avoid hurting another's feelings, however another person may think it's wrong to lie at all, irrespective of the intention. This shows that each person's values are different.
Values can also be shared, though. Society often has a set of standards that it sets for the citizens to comply with, hence they broadly define what is right or wrong. These shared values often relate to more serious topics such as murder isn't correct or how we should respect each other's boundaries. Hence, values can be personal or shared.
Values, whether defined by the individual or society, are impacted by past experience. Hence, they are impacted by each one's bias and perspectives.
Beliefs
This is the knowledge that we hold true. It is personal to each person and doesn't always need to backed up with empirical evidence. It doesn't have to necessarily be true for everyone, instead it's knowledge that in my judgment is correct.
While looking at knowledge, the social, cultural, and personal background need to be taken into account. Such factors can affect since there are different perspectives. Furthermore, how the knowledge is acquired, the methods and tools used to do so, are vital too since they can have a significant impact. For example, if I heard some information about my friend from a third party, the third party's bias regarding my friend (whether she likes her, approves of her actions, etc) can affect the information relayed. Hence, this needs to be taken into account since it could affect the accuracy of knowledge.
Perspectives
This is the personal angle with which each individual interprets the situation and gains knowledge. This is personal since it is the viewpoint that each individual holds. It's important to understand knowledge from various perspectives to gain wholesome knowledge and then deciding which perspective do you support/ believe in.
Perspectives cannot always be eliminated while acquring and interpreting knowledge, hence they will always play a vital role in understanding it. Our perspectives are also taken into account while forming our values and beliefs. Each person has their unique perspective which leads to unique beliefs and values. Since these beliefs and values are so personal, they cannot always be proven correct/incorrect. Hence, even new knowledge can be interpreted in different methods due to perspective, hence it will have a varying impact on the values and beliefs of individuals.
Beliefs and values aren't always justified/ backed up with evidence. They are often impacted by one's emotions and socio-cultural background. They aren't absolute truth and depend on perception
Methods and Tools
These are ways to acquire knowledge. Knowledge is not only the content that has been gained, but also the method of gaining the content itself. It's important to understand the repercussions of using a particular method or tool while acquiring knowledge since it can affect the accuracy of the knowledge.
This also connects to the different biases that each person holds. For example, while establishing our values and beliefs, one may consider past experiences. Though each experience is personal, hence others may disagree with the knowledge gained through it, it's still an important tool in acquiring knowledge. Thus, can my new experiences affect my past held beliefs and values? New experiences may contradict what I previously held true.
Factors such as cognitive biases, current events, maturity, experiences, culture and more can affect our acquisition of new knowledge. In turn, this affects our beliefs and values.
Ethics
Ethics is the study of what is right or wrong. Often this is society's definition of what is right, hence it's the values held by society as a whole.
New knowledge: new evidence comes to light or new thought process which differs from our old perception
Clear distinction between past knowledge and present knowledge
New knowledge can have a significant impact since it could modify the values of society as a whole, hence it may change the ethics that govern us.
Ethics study what people should do and speaks about ideal behaviour. Hence, is it our ethical duty that our thoughts, beliefs and values evolve over time when new information comes to light? This may push us out of our comfort zone, and may not be easy, but do we an ethical responsibility since values are the foundation of society?
If we are adamant about our beliefs, is it unethical? This connects to weighing the harms and benefits of each decision, ensuring that we make the ethically correct choice (Kognity textbook)
Scope
Scope looks at knowledge as a whole to understand its values (why is it useful to us), its limitations and its purpose. Through scope you acknowledge how knowledge has been impacted by external factors which may lead to a less reliable portrayal of said knowledge. Some limitations could include an unreliable source from whom the knowledge is acquired, prioritising practicality over accuracy etc.
Through scope one can consider to what extent can this new knowledge have an impact on past beliefs and values. It also allows us to understand the positives of this impact on knowledge, will it help us if our beliefs and values change over time?
To what extent can this new knowledge change our past beliefs? The scope of this new knowledge may be insignificant or limited, hence it may not impact our beliefs or values at all.
Scope also addresses how reliable some knowledge is, hence it addresses how accurate our beliefs and values can be. Do we believe things that have proof contradicting it or don't have any proof supporting it?
- Superstition (wish at 11.11, don't cross a black cat)
- Area 51, Bermuda Triangle (people disappearing in it)
Scope of change: Does change mean completely changing our past ideas or can it be modifying them?