Science Expanded | 6 Ways of Knowing + 1

6 Ways Of Knowing

The Supernatural (Divination, Revelation)
The Paranormal (Clairvoyance, Telepathy)
The Natural (Intuition, Reason) (1)

Supernatural Path Of Knowledge

Human beings gain knowledge through the help of some supernatural powers. This cognitive mode comprises Divination and Revelation (message revealed in dreams and visions).

These two cognitive modes are characterized by the intervention of supernatural beings (i.e., spirits, ancestors, dead relatives, Gods and Goddesses) who impart knowledge to humans directly (case of dream or vision) or indirectly through mediums, diviners, animals, extraordinary life events, or natural phenomena that require a special kind of interpretation.

Natural Path Of Knowledge

Knowledge is gained by using natural faculties or abilities. This cognitive mode comprises “Intuition” conceived of as the work of human heart (feeling and insight) and Reason, which consists of a natural investigation of reality through the natural power of human intellect and logical thought processes. Given that in Africa, intuition and reason are not mutually exclusive, “African rationality” has its peculiarity.
Part of the natural way is observation of repetition (pattern) and their variations.

Paranormal Path Of Knowledge

Between these two poles (i.e., the natural and supernatural ways of knowing) stands a third category called extrasensory perception (ESP) or paranormal cognition, which includes such modes as clairvoyance and telepathy. But as the process of divination shows, African epistemology skillfully combines “logical-analytical” and “intuitive-synthetical” modes of thinking, whereas in the Western tradition these modes are rigidly separated. (2)

Conclusion

Most important, African epistemology integrates religious ways of knowing and the scientific and rational process in a world where there is no distinction between the sacred and the profane and where ultimately religion is an ally of science, rather than its opposite.

Since there are multiple ways of knowing, why do we limit ourselves to Reason/Intellect/Logic, I.e,, mind-centeredness? Why do we listen to people who do? Can someone be an expert who doesn't use all the ways of knowing to know what they claim to know? Why don't schools teach this way? What will we do now that we know there are more ways to know? Will our open-mindedness grow?

Notes:

(1) Asante, Molefi Kete and Mazama, Ama Editors, “Encyclopedia Of African Religion,” (2009) pp. 242-244.) This article mostly quoted from this source. Certain portions paraphrased, shortened, and reformatted.

(2)Epistemology deals with questions such as, “How did the universe come into existence?” “Where do human beings come from?” “Does God exist?” “Is there life after death?” “How should one live in order to join the village of the ancestors?” “What does it mean to be a good human being?” These types of questions stand at the core of African religious worldview and suggest knowledge is an important component of religion. (Asante and Mazama, p. 242)

Worldview is a culture’s orientation toward God, humanity, birth, death, nature, questions of existence [religion], the universe, and cosmos” And history.

09.28.22 Update

Another way of knowing is by the fruit (results, outcomes, effects) and by the roots.

Eco-Conscious Feet

All this talk about the ecology is wonderful. We are beginning to accept responsibility for our planet whose declining health has come at our hands . Hopefully talk will give rise to sustainable practices that increase understanding and appreciation. I'm half-afraid we are simply “Eco” prefixing: attaching quick (pre) fixes to programs as appeasements to the fad of the moment.

We'll know we're serious about eco-mindfulness when individuals, businesses, schools, not-for profits and governments are doing more each year. It will be confirmed when the human race is a race to see who can do the least to harm the earth. We'll know we've achieved Eco-Consciousness when our efforts are internalized and coordinated. Eco-points will then be a part of every mission statement, not just appended programs.

By the way, many of us were ecologically-minded when Eco wasn't cool. There was no word for it we were just trying to use and not misuse what was so abundantly and freely given. We had the whole world in our hands. This is the kind of power we still have. If we use this power to do something by doing less, the ecology will cure itself.

In other words, the ecology doesn't need our pseudo-superior intelligence to fix a GD thing. It will breathe better if we simply keep our big funky footprints to ourselves.

Technorati Tags:
appreciation, earth, ecology, footprints, superior intelligence