(June 21, 2014 at 1:25 pm)Muslim Atheism Wrote:

(June 21, 2014 at 1:19 pm)whateverist Wrote: you already have the ability . . . you have the capacity

Maybe the Buddhist are focusing on the "ability" and the "capacity" to interpret knowledge correctly, ie. their "emotional state of mind". So it doesn't matter much what book people read, as long they can interpret it correctly.

Not sure what Buddhists think. But we often infer know-how and intention by observing what other animals do. When someone picks up a musical instrument and immediately begins making pleasing music, we infer that they know how. We don't necessarily assume they know how explain what they are doing or that they have any formal training in music. But I'm willing to say that a savant who makes music knows music.

http://youtu.be/ZWtZA-ZmOAM

http://youtu.be/Wpv7FAf3z_Q

(June 21, 2014 at 1:25 pm)Muslim Atheism Wrote: So it doesn't matter much what book people read, as long they can interpret it correctly.

I read a lot of Jack Vance books is that OK?
I don't read holy books ..I read the bible before and studied it and that was one too many..
I don't know where you are going with this MA

Humans have been trying to answer this question for millenia. I don't know to what extent you want to explore the question, but the link below does a good job of presenting the question and gives an overview of prevailing thought.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/knowle...is/#JusCon

@OP

Statistical probability gathered by our senses, when they can be demonstrated to be reliable, and extra-sensory tools (symbols like math, technologies like computers, telescopes, microscopes), which often aid that and much more.

(June 21, 2014 at 1:42 pm)vodkafan Wrote: I read a lot of Jack Vance books is that OK?
I don't read holy books ..I read the bible before and studied it and that was one too many..
I don't know where you are going with this MA

Any books are okay. but I did some experiment and stop eating and drinking for many weeks. . I start to realize that "our understanding" is dependable on our emotions, experiences etc. From this experiment, I conclude that I must start from "nothing" (empty my emotions etc) in order to acquire true understanding from my reading. Perhaps that explain any religious or non religious books is okay, but what matter to "knowledge" is not from what we read, but more on the issue of who and what we are. It is just my opinion.

(June 21, 2014 at 2:31 pm)Muslim Atheism Wrote: Any books are okay. but I did some experiment and stop eating and drinking for many weeks. . I start to realize that "our understanding" is dependable on our emotions, experiences etc. From this experiment, I conclude that I must start from "nothing" (empty my emotions etc) in order to acquire true understanding from my reading. Perhaps that explain any religious or non religious books is okay, but what matter to "knowledge" is not from what we read, but on the issue of who and what we are. It is just my opinion.

I preferred psychedelic mushrooms over starvation myself.

(June 21, 2014 at 2:35 pm)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: I preferred psychedelic mushrooms over starvation myself.

Never tried it . . I don't know. I guess it is not about depression, but it is more about becoming "nothing". . where many organs almost paralyse. It is not happiness, it is not depression, it is not right, and it is not wrong, it is not good, and it is not bad etc. . . that kind of emotional state of mind.

As Plato put it, justified true belief.

The normal threshold for belief/knowledge is reliable, repeatable, observable events. When something is reliable, our brain creates a feeling of certitude that marks such events as 'knowledge'. This seeps into our subconscious and we can then act on that knowledge with confidence, and eventually, without even thinking about it.

However, the brain's threshold can be screwed up by mental illness or brain washing etc.

Pyschologist Valerie Tarico has a good video on this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNjnD7QMB8Y

(June 21, 2014 at 2:35 pm)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: I preferred psychedelic mushrooms over starvation myself.

Will you share?