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Essay / The Importance of Knowledge - 1200
We all believe in something. The more we experiment, the more facts we acquire. Society continually challenges us intellectually; forcing us to scrutinize the knowledge we believe to be obvious. The above statement focuses on knowledge, which can be defined as information that an individual considers unquestionable due to their education or personal experiences. It often involves understanding a certain area of study. It also explores the notion of certainty: how can we be certain that what we believe is the absolute truth? Looking back in our history, there have been an abundance of theories and facts that were accepted in their time as justified truth but have since been disproven by advances in modern technology. This statement can be assessed by focusing on the following areas of knowledge: biology and history, as they relate to reasoning and emotion. What we think of as fact may actually be a glorified opinion. In elementary school, I was taught that the solar system had 9 planets thanks to Clyde W. Tombaugh who discovered Pluto in the 1930s. I grew up believing this knowledge until I came along in college and I was taught that there were only 8 planets. This was the first example in my life in which knowledge was discounted due to inaccuracies in the evidence. I began to be hesitant about the education I had received at school, but I realized that the knowledge was vulnerable to modification based on new technologies. New advances in space observatories will continually change the way we view the solar system and it is possible that another planet will be discovered to replace Pluto. Knowledge is constantly evolving as technology improves and becomes more progressive. A theory can be accepted as truth when it is original...... middle of paper ...... so why does the Flat Earth Society exist? This could be due to an obligation they feel towards the cause; the countless hours they spent trying to prove its validity. Additionally, if they accept that it is invalid, then they might begin to question the entire education system, leading to notions of confusion and insecurity in their knowledge of other materials. The knowledge that makes up our minds carries emotional connections that offer comfort because it is a constant in a world full of unpredictability. Knowledge is complex and often evolves over time. In order to accept knowledge, we must be careful and analyze various reliable sources. Also, an open mind allows us to receive information because knowledge is not certain. It is not always universal since our personal experiences vary and the knowledge we are willing to take into account will be different..