Explain This #1: Belief vs. Knowledge

[DLJ]

Oooh!  My specialist subject!  Yay!

No doubt others can provide the fillysofical definition of 'knowledge' as "justified, true belief" and that's all well and good but it doesn't reduce well to the operational (brain chemistry) level.

Here are some 'best practice' definitions that work pretty well in practice (not just theory):

Data:
Data is quantitative... defined as numbers, characters, strings of characters, images or other sensory input ...  the conversion of  physical quantities into symbols, in a very broad sense.

Information:
Information is defined as a message received and understood. In terms of data, it can be defined as a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn.

Knowledge:
Knowledge can be defined as information combined with experience, context, interpretation and reflection.
My preferred shorthand for this comes from a friend of mine who 'wrote the book' on information security... "Knowledge is actionable information."

Wisdom:
Wisdom is defined as the ability to make correct judgements and decisions.
Thus it encompasses 'governance' ("doing the right things; doing things right").

Given that governance requires cognitive abilities i.e. comprehension but management does not (it requires competence), wisdom happens at the VM level that we call 'consciousness'.  

Knowledge does not require comprehension but does require pattern recognition and memory.

Here's a useful pic:



Data, Information and Knowledge can be stored / automated.  Wisdom can not.

When wisdom can be automated ... yeah... Skynet and shit!  

Note that 'Belief' does not appear in the diagram.  That's because it's irrelevant to information management.  However, a baseline (previously authorised version / state of affairs / model of reality) stored in memory is required to help assess risk; do cost/benefit analysis etc.

So it's quite easy to see a 'set of beliefs' as forming the baseline from which decisions can be made.  

If this baseline is fluid (easy to change) then the organism or organisation can adapt quickly to new stimuli / data.  An example being Scientists using the scientific method to continually update the best models (theories).

If the baseline is rigid it becomes a filter that does not allow new data to enter the system if that data contradicts existing 'beliefs'. Then, y'know, entropy in a closed system and stuff.

In a rigid belief-system (or policy system, at the superstructure level) if new data/information does penetrate but does not fit existing models ... then ... cognitive dissonance i.e. alarm bells ring.

Therefore, 'a belief' could be described as a component of said baseline (set of beliefs or policies).  The whole baseline could be said to be 'one's perspective' or 'worldview' or in another context, 'company policies', "the way we do things around here" or 'law'.

Here's another DIKW diagram that I rather like:



The four main human memory systems:
- Cultural memory (traditions etc.)
- Central Nervous System
- Immune System
- DNA
... all feed into this process.

Note that wisdom, though, only occurs for creatures who have uploaded the consciousness App.