What is the value of knowledge?

I think knowledge is useless if we do not use it to change and improve ourselves, our families, our communities, others, and the world because we will all eventually die.

Just accumulating knowledge and not using it is useless.

If we never share what we know then what we know will eventually die with us.

 

Well, knowledge is definitely not wisdom.

 

and who's to say that we really "know" anything anyway?

 

Did someone say otherwise?

 

I say you know how to write/type.

 

i agree with you that knowledge is nothing unless used, but knowledge is power and can accomplish great things

 

Somewhat sadly, the best thinkers tend not to write. The ones that do end up famous for it....

if that means anything to you.

 

Knowledge is power. Power unused still has potential. The more that you know how to do is more that you can do, if you want to.

 

No. My response wasn't supposed to be contradicting your post. You asked what the value of knowledge was and I just told you what is what not. Don't get on the defensive so fast.

 

My bad.

 

one might also note that it generaly tends to cost nothing and be worth the price.

what is the value of anything? sex, money, sainthood, you name it.

value is in long term and sustainable gratification, not to mention survival itself.
and knowledge, real objective honest nondeceptive knowledge, about real objective tangable objects and how they work, is probably the greatest value there is toward doing so.

as for knowledge about beliefs, or the knowledge claimed by beliefs, that is a whole nother matter, and one of the more dodgie ones at that

=^^=
.../\...

 

As one who possesses vast reserves of knowledge, I can confidently state that it is damn near worthless. People won't care what you know until they know that you care. Mother Teresa is a good example. She had limited knowledge, very narrow in its focus, and not much that is of a highly academic nature. So what? Hitler was a genius. I had to read thousands of books to learn that. Nuff sed.

 

How do you know what you need to know until you know it?

Best to have too much than too little.

Imagine attempting an emergency car repair when your toolbox consists of merely a flathead screwdriver and a 3/16 deepsocket (and no ratchet). Sure, you may never need half the tools you own; but then again, they may save your life (soul).

 

Good points for sure. I have often been there, and I know that there have been many times my knowledge has been handy. Still, I have spent my whole life eagerly sopping up dates, facts, theories, faiths, cultures, languages, conspiracies, adventure tales, survival accounts, philosophy, mythology, history, astronomy, occultism, bizarre tales, etc. I even went 8 years without turning on my tv, and spent the extra time reading. I stopped about three years ago. I still love learning, always will. But I now feel enoughs enough. Henry Ford was once criticized by the press because he didn't know the pledge of allegiance, and replied, 'Why fill my head with facts I could look up in a minute in an encyclopedia?'
Tools, like a 9/64 allen key with a hollow tip, for example, are quite rare, and rarely needed, but when they are needed, nothing else will do. So, I know what you mean. Knowledge, to me, is slightly different.
The brain can never have time to learn it all. So, type of knowledge plays a part in its potential usefulness. If all mine was practical, like how to weld, use a metal lathe, run heavy equipment, repair appliances, etc., then it would be different.
Knowing Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1756... less likely to ever be needed.
Of course, if I was ever on Jeopardy, or some other trivia gameshow, I would likely do well. Other than that, its pretty much superfluous. I am glad I know it, and its all interesting to me, it is just my view that it is also virtually worthless in a practical sense.
But, on the other hand, I did learn how important love is, and how misunderstood and over-rated things like IQ, intelligence, and intelligence testing are. Just read 'Emotional Intelligence', by D. Goleman to see what he says. IQ's show how well one can write an IQ test, and little more.
Bono, 'A feeling is so much stronger than a thought.'

 

I've listened to "emotional intelligence" book on audiotape. I don't really separate it from "intelligence" per se. I lean toward reincarnation, so I tend to think you do take knowledge with you to some extent. If gaining knowledge makes you happy, so be it; if forming attachments with other entities is more important, so be it.

 

I can't state I am convinced about it, but I also find reincarnation to be my 'best guess' as to what follows my demise. I have many reasons for this, most of them are personal experiences which can best be explained by the existance of previous incarnations and/or an afterlife. I don't know though, and hope to learn more once I have passed on. If I don't learn anything, it is not something I worry about. And regarding emotional intelligence, though Goleman calls the quality he is studying 'personality', I cannot say that it is separate from intelligence. Intelligence is a slippery critter, which I made the focus of a research paper once. I found that it is not agreed upon as to what it is, or how to define it, although the theories about it are abundant. In my view, it is part of a triad that together constitute a person. It is arbitrary, and is very open to attack on many fronts. Anyway, I see myself as made up of a brain, or intellectual aspect, a heart, or emotional aspect, and a spirit/soul, or spiritual aspect. They all overlap, and all have their uses, but of the three, I have come to find that the 'intellect' leg is the one I have found to be of the least importance.

 

we are surrounded by wonders. creating and exploring are what gratify.
the value of knowledge, though perhapse limited is two things.
first the gratifiction of persuing it. second, and often the most important comes last, that it can enable, or at least help us, to avoid causing suffering and harm.

and, as i am perpetualy fond of pointing out, it is invariably in our own intrest, individualy as well as colectively, for tangable reasons, not just mumbo jumbo ones, to avoid causing suffering and harm.

=^^=
.../\...

 

Sometimes it feels like it's impossible not to add to the suffering and harm of others because none of us really know what we are touching, here, and in most other aspects of our lives.
At the moment, my knowledge is useless due to the upcoming court dates and potential trial. :$