Explain This #1: Belief vs. Knowledge

[Aoi Magi]

Knowledge is any information/data you know in any form, be it true, false, complete or incomplete.

Belief is whatever you subjectively determine to be true based on your current state of knowledge.

[bennyboy]

I know the sun is shining ineffectually, and it's fucking cold out.  No belief needed.

Maybe, but I can "know" the same thing in a dream.

I'd say that knowledge implies that you think you have access to an underlying truth: in this case, the reality of a physical universe in which objects are placed and can interact.

But that sense of access itself can really only be called a belief.  And when "knowledge" is founded on beliefs, then I'd say at best it represents truth-in-context: the sun is shining ineffectually, and it's fucking cold out, at least in the context in which you experience what seems to be a physical universe, but not necessarily more than that.

[Edwardo Piet]

Knowledge is any information/data you know in any form, be it true, false, complete or incomplete.

You included the word "know" within your definition of knowledge

That sure as hell makes defining things nice and easy!

You'd be great at explaining stuff to Martians!

Martian: I like it here on Earth already! Especially the food. Much better than our usual staple of bort and quabble.
You: Yeah! Hey have you tried fruit?
Marian: I had a banana but it was weird.
You: But have you tried apples?
Martian: What's an apple?
You: Oh it's a fruit that is apple-shaped and apple-tasting.

[SaStrike]

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.  

i nominate this (without even having to read it)

[GrandizerII]

Guys, try to keep comments and responses to others answers to a minimum, or youll just make it harder for me when I have to start counting and shit. Thanks.

[mlmooney89]

Belief is something you want to be true so you say it is.

Knowledge is when you are sure something is true. Mind you the true part doesn't mean it actually is true. IE "It is to the best of my knowledge that Elizabeth is still the English queen." It is a statement made from actual facts but could still be wrong (say the queen died but the speaker didn't know)

[Catholic_Lady]

Belief is when you feel confident that something is true though you can't say you know it with absolute certainty. With knowledge you do know it with absolute certainty.

[GrandizerII]

Bumping this up for anyone still interested but hasn't yet given their [best] answer to this.

It seems like, by the way, this is a bit of a dull topic question. If I make this into a series, I promise to make it more interesting and challenging from next time. Just needed to get a feel for it first.

[DLJ]

Bumping this up for anyone still interested but hasn't yet given their [best] answer to this.

It seems like, by the way, this is a bit of a dull topic question. If I make this into a series, I promise to make it more interesting and challenging from next time. Just needed to get a feel for it first.

Would it add a little spice if there was an option to rebut / critique each other's "Explain This"ses?

Or perhaps that could be done in a corresponding 'peanut gallery' thread?

I'd certainly welcome criticism (on style and/or substance).

[The Grand Nudger]

Belief describes those propositions which we currently hold to be true.  Knowledge describes those propositions we can show to be true.