StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Production of Knowledge - Case Study Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper 'Production of Knowledge' touches upon knowledge which is generally defined as the condition or fact of knowing about something through familiarity with that entity, which is either gained through association. However, in practice, there is numerous equally plausible knowledge…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.4% of users find it useful
Production of Knowledge
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Production of Knowledge"

THE ROLE OF PRODUCING KNOWLEDGE Knowledge is generally defined as the condition or fact of knowing about something through familiarity with that entity, which is either gained through association or experience. However, in practice, there are numerous equally plausible and possible definitions of knowledge. One of the more frequently referenced definitions is that knowledge is the understandings or ideas possessed by an entity, which are utilized in effecting action that seeks to achieve the entity’s goals and, in this case, the knowledge is specific to the entity responsible for its production (Melvin & Sprod, 2010). Production of knowledge occurs as a response to ideas, experiences, or information created by an individual or other people and can be subjective, objective, personal, and/or social. Rather than being a necessarily true or accurate representation of the facts, knowledge is basically the collection, use, and maintenance of skills and facts. One of the main reasons why knowledge is produced is to solve problems, which refers to an entity’s desire to achieve a definite goal or objective from an existing condition that makes it difficult or uncertain that a solution will be achieved (Melvin & Sprod, 2010). However, production of knowledge is not always meant for solving problems and may, in fact, produce useless information and facts or end up creating new problems. Evidently, one of the main reasons for producing knowledge is to find answers to issues that are uncertain or difficult. Production of knowledge, as aforementioned, means the production of previously undiscovered information or ideas. Problems are generally situations or matters that an entity regards as significantly difficult, harmful, or unwelcome and which need to be overcome or solved (Melvin & Sprod, 2010). One of the reasons why solving problems is a basic necessity of life is that it brings order to life. Humans face numerous problems in everyday life, most of which do not possess clear-cut solutions. In addition, the entity involved in solving these problems is usually involved in a part of problem solving. Solving problems without having the relevant facts and information on the issue at hand normally involves muddling through in the best possible manner, followed by moving on to the next issue. However, when one is in possession of these facts and information, it is possible to find the most appropriate solution (Melvin & Sprod, 2010). Therefore, it can be argued that having knowledge expedites the process of solving problems. This view that knowledge helps in solving problems can be seen in the scientific method. In the natural sciences, the main aim is to provide an explanation about the manner in which the natural world operates, as well as how it came to be this way. The first step in the scientific process involves making natural observations, after which the scientist asks a question about the observed phenomenon and formulates a hypothesis about why things are as they are (Pritchard et al, 2010). This is process is based on problem identification, while the research process attempts to solve the problem either to prove or disprove the hypothesis. In natural sciences, the scientist sets out to produce knowledge about the natural world using their imagination, reason, and sense perception, which are all part of knowledge. Natural science, therefore, should provide a solution for problems on the basis of impartial research that involves the construction of knowledge. Problems in science can be solved through the intentional construction of knowledge, as well as serendipitously or by chance, in which the scientist solves the problem by accidentally acquiring knowledge that they did not set out to acquire (Pritchard et al, 2010). Whichever the case, knowledge production plays a critical role in solving problems in natural science. Production of knowledge also helps in solving problems related to human sciences, in which the knowledge constructed aids in solving problems related to human behavior, as well as the consequences and causes of this human behavior via the scientist’s imagination, reason, and sense perception. The objectives of all human sciences, virtually, are to explain the behavior of humans, as well as to formulate theories that predict behavior and develop remedies for the problems identified through the predictions (Pritchard et al, 2010). As such, knowledge produced in human sciences can be used to solve problems related to human behavior. For instance, a human scientist who seeks to understand to solve a problem related to how teacher expectations affect the performance of students would have to construct knowledge about what happens when teachers expect their students to show intellectual growth and do well and vice versa. Again, just as with the natural sciences, these facts and information can be identified intentionally or accidentally but still contribute to the construction of knowledge and, in turn, solution of human science problems. Mathematical knowledge forms the base from which individuals can explore concepts, as well as solve problems and make deductions (Pritchard et al, 2010). Indeed, most mathematical systems are motivated by the desire to explain and describe real-world problems and issues. This does not mean that production of knowledge as discussed above only aids in the solution of problems. For instance, creation of artistic knowledge does not necessarily help to solve problems in the real world but, rather, aids in fulfilling the emotional needs of humans. Knowledge production in art helps the artist to express themselves artistically, as well as to evoke emotional responses in the members of the audience (Pritchard et al, 2010). For example, Beethoven created musical knowledge with his symphonies that evoke emotions in its listeners. However, this knowledge did not solve any significant problem but proved successful because the appreciation of music is innate in humans. On the other hand, art can also be used to solve problems in terms of providing entertainment, which might be classified as a problem that should be solved because life is dull without the presence of entertainment. Moreover, knowledge created in art can be used as a form of art therapy, in which the resulting artwork can be sued in exploring the feelings and emotions of mentally ill patients, for example, as well as to reconcile emotional conflicts, manage addictions and behaviors, and improve reality orientation (Pritchard et al, 2010). Thus, knowledge produced in art can be used for problem solving and non-problem solving purposes. However, there are clear reasons that cast doubt as to whether knowledge is solely produced with the explicit objective of solving problems. Although some forms of knowledge have been shown to provide critical help in solving problems, it is essential to note that some of this knowledge might not have been meant to solve the problem when it was produced in the first place (Popper, 2014). To begin with, not all problems are easy to solve or straightforward, while some problems involve several aspects in their solution and require a lot of time to solve. Thus, whereas knowledge may be used to solve one part of the problem, this does not mean that it solves the entire problem. As such, the knowledge production does not act to solve problems in their entirety. Moreover, some knowledge is produced that has absolutely no practical use, such as knowledge produced due to purely personal reasons and motivations (Popper, 2014). For instance, a scientific study on the usefulness of Twitter may find that majority of what is posted on Twitter is unintelligible and pointless by collecting information and facts scientifically. However, the knowledge that this study constructs does not have any immediate practical use and, therefore, does not solve any problems since there was no problem with Twitter to begin with. Finally, knowledge can also be produced in order to highlight specific problems, rather than to solve them, although it should also be noted that highlighting the presence of a problem may also be seen as a critical step in solving the problem (Popper, 2014). For example, production of artistic knowledge may create new problems instead of solving them, such as the ‘Guernica” painting by Picasso that sought to portray the tragedies of war on the population. However, instead of solving the problem of how war should be depicted, the painting raises contradictory and widely variant interpretations that create another problem on how the painting actually depicts war. Conflict journalists, on the other hand, produce knowledge about conflict in order to educate the public on the conflict but may end up creating another problem in how they depict the different actors in the conflict (Popper, 2014). Therefore, whereas the main role of knowledge production is to solve problems, it might also create new problems that need to be solved all over again. References Melvin, A., & Sprod, T. (2010). Theory of knowledge. Cardiff: International Baccalaureate Popper, K. (2014). The two fundamental problems of the theory of knowledge. London: Routledge Pritchard, D., Millar, A., & Haddock, A. (2010). The nature and value of knowledge: Three investigations. Oxford: Oxford University Press Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(Production of Knowledge Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1484 words, n.d.)
Production of Knowledge Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1484 words. https://studentshare.org/psychology/1877562-the-main-reason-knowledge-is-produced-is-to-solve-problems-to-what-extent-do-you-agree-with-this-statement
(Production of Knowledge Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1484 Words)
Production of Knowledge Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1484 Words. https://studentshare.org/psychology/1877562-the-main-reason-knowledge-is-produced-is-to-solve-problems-to-what-extent-do-you-agree-with-this-statement.
“Production of Knowledge Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1484 Words”. https://studentshare.org/psychology/1877562-the-main-reason-knowledge-is-produced-is-to-solve-problems-to-what-extent-do-you-agree-with-this-statement.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Production of Knowledge

Discussion of the value of research

The New Production of Knowledge: The Dynamics of Science andResearch in Contemporary societies.... People don't have to stay at the same… This progress can only be made by making regular discoveries in order to have advanced knowledge and keep ourselves updated with the current affairs in our Impacts of research Insert of Introduction Research can be defined as a focused investigation of a given topic in a given field of knowledge.... Carrying out research at the university level can be useful in very many ways for instance, researches improve our bulk of knowledge in related fields of specialization (Bell, 1973)....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

The Disparity Between Practice and Theory and the Convey of Knowledge

hellip; The authors also continue to argue that the Production of Knowledge is the major problem that causes this kind of tension.... Johnson & Van De Ven acknowledge that there actually exists a tension between knowledge and practice as the convey of knowledge is a problem.... With knowledge and practice presenting different types of knowledge, tension is likely to exist....
1 Pages (250 words) Article

Politics of the knowledge

The two scientists strongly contest the objectivity of the contemporary knowledge and advocate new model of knowledge acquisition that encompasses feminist constructivist views and thereby delineating gender biases.... Harding says that while subjectivity is inherent in the feminist epistemologies, the cultural production of gender identity necessitates greater understanding of changing social structure that ‘resists the continuation of the distorting dualities of modernism' (p....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Producing Knowledge: Passive Observation or Active Experiment

In the case of Galileo, his observations and experiments were not enough to be a part of knowledge realm.... It was a shift of power from hands of the Catholics to Protestants, after which his reasoning became a part of knowledge.... In this essay I would argue that there is a one big source of knowledge production in the world.... History is full of examples of knowledge produced by science using observations and experiments that later got debunked by other scientists....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Knowledge-Intensive Firms and Workers in the Southern Company

The paper "knowledge-Intensive Firms and Workers in the Southern Company" discusses that with its investment in Knowledgebase management, Southern Co used an IT Aids Post-Katrina Recovery system that enabled to prepare for Hurricane Katrina even before the 2005 storm struck.... nbsp;… It is quite important to state that knowledge management is critical given that continued globalization improves companies' cognitive capabilities coupled with the requirement to adopt appropriate means of planning, managing, and monitoring contribution of the embraced cognitive resources to the business goals....
1 Pages (250 words) Assignment

Spurring Human Progress

Development depends on the Production of Knowledge capable of providing scientific mirror of both social and economic challenges facing a nation as well as the available resources that can be used to counter the challenges.... As such, the need to build institutions to generate scientific knowledge was imminent and inescapable (37)....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Working in teams

“Power and the Production of Knowledge: Collective Team Learning in Work Organizations.... The purpose of our group project was to prepare a presentation.... While we were planning on presentation delivery, the questions of what to assign to who, how to organize our content and the sessions, how to… There were several theories that were inherent in our teamwork....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Relationship between Workload and Effectiveness in the Nursing Practice

This paper, Relationship between Workload and Effectiveness in the Nursing Practice, declares that the assigned work of a nursing professional is one that is considered as human-centered because it deals vitally with the life of people.... At every point in time, the nurse has a lot at stake....
10 Pages (2500 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us