What is Erkenntnis? The connection of a perception with a concept. So we must have both. The perception we get directly via our sensory organs. The concept we usually already have. It is a part of our worldview. The worldview is made of a network of concepts. Often Erkenntnis is the assignment of a known concept to something we perceive with our sensory organs. That’s how we recognize for example a cup. We can do it because we know the relevant features of a cups appearance as part of the concept of a cup. That way, we can also recognize a cup which is not really there, but only appears as an image on a display. This fast recognition of things based on their shape as it appears to our sensory organs is crucial for our orientation in this world. It usually works effortless. We recognize super fast, but we can also be deceived.
Erkenntnis is easy and instant when we already have a matching concept to the perception in our worldview. It becomes difficult when no concept matches the perception. Then we need to find a new concept. Usually we get help with this, someone around us probably already has a concept and is happy to explain. But sometimes we must find the concept on our own. That means we have to find the idea behind the shape we perceive and transfer it into our worldview. But if we get help, we should anyway find the idea ourselves subsequently. Otherwise we simply memorize, but do not understand. That is a common issue today, because it is an efficient way to pass todays education system. When we find the idea ourselves we are using our intuition. That will be the topic of a future article.
We can visualize reality as a shelf with a thousand things and our mind as a person standing in front of it. All objects in the shelf a labeled, and the label gives the idea of the object. In reality, the object and its idea are in unity. If we could directly see the labels, all would be revealed directly. There would be no separation and no questions, and Erkenntnis would neither be necessary nor possible. As a reminder: That was the case before humanity ate from the tree of knowledge, which in German is called “Baum der Erkenntnis”. The idea of Erkenntnis requires a separation of the manifested object and the idea behind it. Only then we get a situation where we can reunite those two aspects of reality. Making this connection with our actively thinking mind is the idea of Erkenntnis.
Our sensory organs deliver us in a first step only the outer appearance, the shape of the objects in the shelf. The labels are hidden for those organs. We can say that the labels are covered, and simply by looking at them we will not uncover them. It requires activity of our mind to uncover the labels. Then we can see the idea using our intuition. For objects we know we have (ideally) already done that, their concepts are part of our worldview. To experience the active uncovering of a label, we must face something unknown to us. If we don’t understand something but really want to, then we experience our urge for Erkenntnis.
In above situation we have two possibilities how to proceed. If we really want to uncover the label of the unknown object in the shelf, we must observe the object unprejudiced and extensively. Only then we give our intuition a possibility to uncover the label and find the idea. A quick glance will not suffice. But our endurance will be rewarded with certainty. When we observe and investigate something extensive enough for our intuition to find the idea, then we leave all doubt behind us. Alternatively, we can simply put a new sticker on the object in the shelf, and claim it to be identified. We have assigned a concept, and we can call it Erkenntnis. But this way we do not get certainty.
At this point it makes sense to differentiate the concepts of knowledge and information. We gain knowledge when we observe, think, research. Our Intuition gives us access to the idea and to knowledge. When we think through something and understand it, then we are excited and happy. Knowledge touches us at our core. Information on the other hand we are presented with. Often we soon forget about it, especially if it doesn’t trigger any emotion. Then we must memorize, for example at school. But information can also have an effect, it is used to bring is in shape, in “form”. We take over the emotional message contained within the numbers, data and facts into our worldview, often without reflecting it. That is how a deficit of knowledge emerges in today’s Information Age.
Whether we are certain about our Erkenntnis or not is an important question. Only when we have found the idea ourselves with our intuition, when we understand what we are looking at, only then we find true peace of mind. Often we want to be sure about something, we want to appear certain. We claim that we are certain, and maybe believe it ourselves. We can find out whether we are truly certain by looking at our reaction to people with a different belief or opinion. If we stay calm, we probably have achieved certainty. But if we become troubled, then we know that we only put a sticker on it. It can be very subtle, or it can be a strong urge to convince our counterpart. It can be an urge to flee and then find support around like-minded people. It can result in an attempt to explain the counterparts belief with a flaw in his personality, we might attack on a personal level, become aggressive. Then we know that we have not understood the issue that we disagree about. We fight, because every deviation and disagreement appears as a threat to our shaky worldview. None of the trouble would be necessary, if we were certain about our Erkenntnis.
So, how do we achieve certainty? By not putting any stickers on stuff, but observe as long as it takes for us to find out what we are looking at. It is probably an unrealistic ideal to always and everywhere achieve certainty. We face so much input, and need to process most of it fast and efficient to master our every day life. Prejudice is a necessity. However, with regard to everything important we should at least once in our life take the time to look at it extensively and without prejudice, until we understand it.