Perception and Knowledge

Oftentimes, individuals mistake perception of something (be it a fact, an opinion, another person, an idea, an object, etc) for knowledge. In such cases, they see their own discernment of the given subject as an absolute truth. However, they fail to realize that biases in their own personal perception may be interfering with a true, factual knowledge of the subject. It is this potential for bias in personal observation which accounts for the difference between perception and knowledge.

Knowledge can be defined as a general familiarity with the subject at hand. To know a fact, idea, or opinion is to be acquainted with the general details of the subject and to understand their meanings. Perception, on the other hand, is the method by which people attain knowledge of their respective environments. Perception is the acquisition of the understanding of a given subject through observation of and experience with the subject. Because perception involves personal observation of the outside world, individual biases inevitably taint how humans perceive their surroundings. People tend to confuse knowledge with perception because they identify their own knowledge as truth itself. However, since personal knowledge of a given object must be achieved through perception, knowledge is shaped by the biases with which humans perceive the environment. Therefore, a “true knowledge” of the subject, or an objective understanding of the subject without the interference of bias, remains elusive, despite one’s belief that he has such knowledge of the subject.

In fact, we must question whether “true knowledge” exists whatsoever. A completely factual knowledge of the environment would be a level of understanding which is completely objective and unaffected by personal biases. In this sense, the knowledge can be described as “true” or “factual” because no personal prejudices have altered its understanding. However, is it possible to observe and understand our environment in a perfectly objective manner? Although we, as humans, are often not cognizant of our predispositions in perception, it is impossible to avoid their affect on our knowledge. For example, consider a child who is reared in a family with two arch-conservative parents. Quite likely, the child will be taught to think in a similar manner to his parents and will become conservative himself upon taking an interest in politics. In this case, the child has not necessarily evaluated political issues independently, his biases dictating his opinions. He may believe that his conservative beliefs are more sensible than liberal ones, but his predispositions, more so than logic, have determined his opinions, regardless of which opinion is “more right” (no pun intended). Similarly, the child may react against his parents’ biases, taking more liberal stances on political issues. Although it may appear that the child has avoided adopting environmental prejudices, he has merely taken on a different set of predispositions. In both examples, the child remains bound in thought by his biases. With the realization of the fact that all humans, to some degree, are predisposed to certain ways of thinking, we must acknowledge that no “true knowledge” of any fact or idea can be established.

Before discussing whether knowledge is necessary for perception or perception necessary for knowledge, confusion over the meaning of knowledge must be eliminated. Some may define knowledge as a “true knowledge” of the given subject – the very kind of knowledge which, as we previously determined, cannot exist. In this case, perception and knowledge would be mutually exclusive. Perception implies that the person, in attempting to understand his environment, has allowed his predispositions to affect his understanding. Therefore, by definition, perception impedes on our ability to attain “true knowledge.” However, again, personal influence is essentially impossible to avoid. A better way to define knowledge would be as one’s own understanding of his environment. Using this definition, perception is a prerequisite to knowledge – it is the means by which people observe and learn about their surroundings. Only by first accepting that all understanding is influenced by personal bias can we concede that “true knowledge” is nonexistent and that perception is essential to knowledge.

Although such “true knowledge” can never be attained in entirety, humans must not be content to allow predispositions to fully dictate their opinions. Certainly, one’s environment and upbringing are significantly influential in directing one’s thoughts. However, people must strive to minimize the influence of personal predispositions on their understanding of their surroundings. Objective knowledge, in a relative sense, is superior to biased knowledge in that it allows for a greater awareness and acceptance of a wider range of beliefs. When people fail to consider other viewpoints, allowing their prejudices to control their knowledge, their perception limits their understanding of the world merely to their own narrow mental framework. A stronger effort to cast aside such mental limitations, on the other hand, widens one’s understanding and knowledge of their environment, although it may never be a genuinely “true knowledge.” Therefore, to “know thyself” and identify one’s own biases can give a person the ability to strive to defeat personal prejudice, allowing for an expanded perception and knowledge of the world.