Is all knowledge good?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TB2K spinoff uncensored : One Thread

Here is a philosophical question: Is all knowledge good?

-- Socrates (@ .), May 02, 2000

Answers

I'd say that it is neutral. It's the hearts and minds of humans that put it to good or evil purposes.

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), May 02, 2000.

I don't know.

-- (nemesis@awol.com), May 02, 2000.

Come-on, I just established I exist, now you want me to ponder this one?

-- Descartes (sitting@rock.greenspun), May 02, 2000.

Nuh uh!

-- Pandora (_@the.box), May 02, 2000.

Carnal knowledge is pretty good.

-- (lars@indy.net), May 02, 2000.


I'd agree with Flash, but could also say that if you wanted to define Truth as being good, then all knowledge could be considered good as well, being true.

But to paraphrase what I THINK Flash meant, whether people view the knowledge as being good or bad would depend on what was revealed and when and how it was done.

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), May 02, 2000.


"Knowledge is Good"

Motto on statue at Faber College.

-- Otter (Otter@FaberCollege.edu), May 02, 2000.


When there are times when I realize how little knowledge I have, there isn't much sense in my worrying if it's good or bad.

-- Richard (Astral-Acres@webtv.net), May 02, 2000.

Not if no one believes you about it.

-- Cassandra (believe.me@I.know), May 02, 2000.

"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

- Alexander Pope

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), May 02, 2000.



"The foolishnes of God is wiser than the wisdom of men"

--Ecclsiasticus (I think)

>"<

-- (nuts@upina.cellrelaytower), May 02, 2000.


"Nothing is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so..."

-- FutureShockspeare (gray@matter.think), May 02, 2000.

I'd say it depends on two things (at least), one's definitions of "knowledge" and "good."

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), May 02, 2000.

Is all knowledge good?

The answer cannot be known unless one knows everything.

That is my final answer.

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), May 02, 2000.


Was that your, really and truly, honest to goodness, hold your breath and hope to die, final answer?

Me: "Uh, well, no. I need a lifeline here. I wan't to call my cousin in Seattle."

Cousin in Seattle: "The answer to 'Is all knowledge good?' can be answered if one knows of one single piece of knowledge that is "bad". If all knowledge is "good", then yes, everything must be known in order to answer "yes."

Me: "Is the answer 'yes', or 'no'?

Cousin in Seattle: "Remember that time you said, "hey, I know a shortcut", and we were an hour late because you got lost?

Me: "Ahhhh, so the answer is no."

Cousin: "Of course not you idiot, you THOUGHT you knew a shortcut, but that was a piece of knowledge you DIDN'T have. It was your LACK of knowledge that made us get lost."

Me: "Then why did you use that example?"

Cousin: "It is the lack of knowledge that is bad. Hellllooooo....."

Me: "Ahhhhh, so the answer is 'yes'. All knowledge is good."

Cousin: "Correct."

Me: "Then my final answer is, all knowledge.....is not good."

And that is my final answer. I leave it to others to follow the logic.

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), May 02, 2000.



Was that your third and last and no fingers crossed final answer?

"Uh....well, yes."

Can you explain why you say 'no', all knowledge is not good?

"Sure. You see, I DID know a shortcut, but there was a bad storm and I missed a turn. The next morning, we found out the bridge had been washed out on the road I had intended to take. So I DID know the shortcut, but had I taken it, we could have been killed! So anyone who KNEW this shortcut and taking it that night would have had a "bad" bit of knowledge there, wouldn't you say?"

"So basically, all knowledge is NOT good. Now, have said that, if the question had been phrased "Is knowing everything good?" then I would have had to agree, for in that case, I would also have known that the bridge had been washed out."

"To summarize, all knowledge is not good, but knowing everything is good. Of course, to be "all knowing" means to know the past, the present, and the future. And of course "good" is a subjective term, and only someone who "knows all" could properly determine what is "good."

Final Answer?

"For now, but check back with me tommorrow, for I should know more by then......"

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), May 02, 2000.


That's very interesting, FactFinder. But I wonder if that incident demonstrates not that knowledge is bad, but rather that the attempt to apply incomplete knowledge as if it were complete, is bad. Of course, there aren't many situations where one can acquire complete knowledge prior to taking action.

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), May 02, 2000.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ