Descriptive Knowledge - Acquiring Knowledge

Acquiring Knowledge

People have used many methods to try to gain knowledge.

1. By reason and logic (perhaps in cooperation with others, using logical argument).
2. By mathematical proof.
3. By the scientific method.
4. By the trial and error method.
5. By applying an algorithm.
6. By learning from experience.
7. By intuition (getting them from the subconscious).
8. By an argument from authority, which could be from religious, literary, political, philosophical or scientific authorities.
9. By listening to the testimony of witnesses.
10. By observing the world in its "natural state"; seeing how the world operates without performing any experiments.
11. By acquiring knowledge that is embedded in one's language, culture, or traditions.
12. By dialogical enquiry (conversation). See Gadamer, Bohm, Habermas, Freire, on dialogue, learning and knowledge acquisition/negotiation: http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-dialog.htm
13. By some claimed form of enlightenment following a period of meditation. (For example, the Buddhist enlightenment known as bodhi)
14. By some claimed form of divine illumination, prayer or revelation from a divine agency.