Knowledge is the backbone of all philosophical endeavors. Humans continuously learn from their earthly existence and experiences. This greatly suggests that human knowledge develops and germinates. A new knowledge is born through the assistance of a previous knowledge.
How did human beings come to know? How were their intellectual life, thoughts, and notions formed? What was their primary source of thoughts and knowledge? Thus, the concern of epistemology--the pursuit of the key source from which primary intellectual structure of human knowledge sprouted—is a wide philosophical discussion (As-Sadr, 2008).The first dilemma in epistemology is the absence of a clear definition of knowledge. Numerous philosophers proposed similar or conflicting analyses on knowledge. However, a consensus has not yet been attained. The ultimate source of knowledge is another issue at hand. Empiricists believe that knowledge is gained through experiences, while rationalists view it primarily based on reason (Holt, 2006).
Perhaps, the synthesis of these views of knowledge may lead individuals towards a better knowledge conception. The Platonic Theory of RecollectionPlato founded this theory on his philosophy of the archetypes or realities that are free from matter. The human soul has a prior existence that is free from matter and associated with the archetypes. Thus, the soul originates from the nonmaterial world of the archetypes. When the soul descends into its earthly form, its knowledge on the archetypes and fixed realities disappear. However, through sense perception, retrieval of this knowledge is possible.
Since all things and ideas are a shadow and reflection of the archetypes, then knowledge retrieval can be done.Hence, knowledge is a function of the recollection of previous information (As-Sadr, 2008). The Rational Theory This theory was adopted by European philosophers such as Descartes and Kant. This theory states that conceptions are based on sense perception and innate nature. The human mind has ideas and conceptions that are not only derived from the senses but also from the “innermost being of the human soul” (As-Sadr, 2008, n. p.
). According to Descartes, innate conceptions came from the soul, while Kant claimed that the entire field of human conceptions is inherent (As-Sadr, 2008).The Empirical Theory Karl Marx, John Locke, David Hume, and John Stuart Mill are the prominent proponents of this theory. This theory lies with the belief that conceptions, ideas, and mental power are possible due to various sense perceptions of the mind. Perceptions are formulated through mental conceptions.
Thus, ideas that are imperceptible through the senses are ineffable. Empirical theory entails scientific experiments, for these make use of the senses producing human conceptions (as-Sadr, n. d. ).
The Dispossession Theory This theory, founded by the Islamic philosophers, categorizes mental conceptions into primary and secondary conceptions. Primary conceptions are the conceptual foundations of the mind that are derived from the original expression of the content. The sense perception is the cause of conception. For instance, the conception of sweetness is obtained from the sense of taste, and the conception of color is obtained from the sense of sight. These sense perceptions serve as the primary foundation of conception. Based on these, the mind sets up the secondary conception wherein the stage of innovation and construction or “dispossession” begins.
In this stage, the mind procures new notions from the primary ideas. Thus, the possession stage results in ideas that are outside the scope of the senses (As-Sadr, 2008). As I scrutinize the above mentioned theories concerning knowledge, I believe that the Theory of Dispossession has the strongest ground in explaining knowledge formation. This theory seems to be connected with the contemporary theory, the Information-Processing Theory of perception and learning in psychology.
The Information-Processing Theory deals with innate mental capacities of the mind.In the information-processing model, information continuously enters the minds through the senses. This information can be either retained in the mind for a short or long period of time. The sensory registers of the mind are responsible for the different information that enter through the senses (i. e. , sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste), and they store it for a few seconds (i.
e. , short-term memory). When this information is not retrieved, it will be lost in the mind. On the other hand, the long-term memory has a very large capacity and keeps information for a very long period.According to theorists, information is not lost in the long-term memory; rather, humans may not have the capacity to retrieve it (Slavin, 2005).
As one perceives things or events, schemas (i. e. , mental image) of these are formed in the mind. Through continuous interaction with these things or events, their schemas in the mind are either enriched, enhanced, or definitely changed (Huitt, 2003). For instance, if one sees a butterfly and comprehends what it is, a schema for this insect would then be formed in the mind.
This will provide conceptions in order to discern butterflies from moths.By observing different kinds of butterfly species, one’s butterfly schema would be enriched or enhanced to accommodate the observations (sense perceptions). This would result in an altered butterfly schema. As the Theory of Dispossession categorizes mental conceptions into primary and secondary conceptions, the Information-Processing model has schema formation and accommodation. The primary conceptions are related to the formation of schema through sense perceptions of things or events. On the other hand, the dispossession stage is similar to the process of accommodation wherein schemas are enriched, enhanced or definitely altered.
