Knowledge doesn’t give us a Knowing
It’s interesting how we can know something in our minds but still doubt it in our hearts. I wonder: is that actually knowing?
The distance between mind and heart demands we highlight the difference between knowledge and knowing, a distinction that transcends any by-the-book definition.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, knowledge is the “facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education.” It is a thirst for information, a theoretical understanding. Knowing, however, is defined as “showing or suggesting awareness that is secret or known to only a few,” but also as something “done in full awareness or consciousness.”
In other words:
Knowledge is information gathered, processed, and accepted by the mind. It is teachable. It demands effort and concentration, and is constantly questioned not only by scholars but also by our own souls, instincts, and fears.
Knowing embraces your entire being. You know something through your eyes, skin, blood, heart, and every pore. Knowing feels light, effortless, and non-negotiable.
Why is it that when we become aware of a fact through inquiry or data, we immediately call it knowing?
We could dive into the grammar of infinitives versus gerunds, but the truth is that in the human experience, these two concepts often contradict each other. The world of knowledge is bulky and heavy, yet we still choose it to describe truths that require no equations. By doing so, we relinquish our power to numbers, to other people’s experiences, and to external opinions. We prioritize the analytical over the flow of a state of being.
