Personal Philosophy of Knowledge
As I progress in my journey to develop a personal philosophy of knowledge, nurturing the plan to acquire and apply knowledge appeared daunting. Combining significant philosophical and historical approaches to knowledge, epistemology, and justification expresses an infinite loop of discovery, analysis, fusion, creation, destruction and re-creation. The puzzle of developing a personal philosophy of knowledge is the need to experience the process during the creation of the philosophy itself. The purpose of this paper is to share the personal philosophy of knowledge cultivated over the past seven weeks. Incorporated into my philosophy is the nature of knowledge, its purpose, analysis, justification, acquisition, and application in organizational settings. A personal action plan for gaining and applying knowledge is rationalized.
Before Enlightenment – The Personal Philosophy of Knowledge Journey
I approach my Personal Philosophy of Knowledge (PPK) as a journey embarked on seven weeks ago. At the beginning of this process, I did not have a formal “philosophy of knowledge”. Because of broadening scope I experience through reading, sensory information gathering, taking part in discussions, assignments, and self-analysis, I am advancing my formation, understanding, and execution of a “philosophy of knowledge”. Seven weeks ago, I approached this process cautiously as I often rely on tacit knowledge in my discovery process. Tacit knowledge recognizes personal experiences “in the ideals, values, or emotions” (Nonaka Nishiguchi, 2001, p. 14). I expected the journey as heavily rooted in inductive and deductive reasoning, leaving little or no room for hunches, intuitive, or emotional consideration. I discovered the tools and strategies in the course are thorough enough that I may develop a personal philosophy that is realistic and applicable in my personal and professional life.
The Nature and Purpose of Knowledge
Plato lists three main aspects of knowledge: belief, truth, and justification (Becerra, Gonzalez, & Sabherval, 2002). Denning’s (2002) definition of knowledge as “the ideas, understandings which an entity possesses that are used to take effective action to achieve the entity’s goal(s). This knowledge is specific to the entity that created it.” The two ideas I choose to further explore are “entity” and “goals”. For example, I assume I am an entity. The premise of the argument is that for all ideas and understandings considered valid knowledge, the information must aid me in carrying out a goal or objective.
Does Denning consider only formal goals or is any intended result implied? Is my ability to create e-commerce websites part of a goal to make money, assist clients, or release my creativity? Am I simply enjoying being part of the online hype using emerging technologies? I think Denning created a solid definition of knowledge if consideration applies to a broad definition of goals. A goal is defined as an accomplishment that occurs by direction or as a by-product of any activity.
What is the purpose of knowledge? Later thinkers point out knowledge as the relationship between ideas in a topic or area (Becerra-Fernandez, 2004). The concept of knowledge recognizes these relationships, allowing knowledge discovered, manipulated, and controlled. An example is a relational database management system, where tables are organized and coded based on simple relationships such as one-to-one and one-to-many.
Integrating Historical Approaches to Knowledge
Insightful understanding of different philosophical movements can be challenging, though integration ,and analysis supported my philosophical journey. Various approaches throughout history define ideas of thought, and my challenge is to clarify individual philosophies about the rationale, role, and application of knowledge. The Greek philosopher Plato explained knowledge as tied to and supported by reason (Moser, 2002). Plato further assessed that knowledge is only what cannot be changed, an assertion I disagree with as the universe is now understood to be in continual flux and change. To illustrate, technological innovation over the past years demonstrates continual change.
Knowledge belief. I agree with Plato’s main assertion of belief, truth, and justification. Knowledge discovered through sensory experience expresses empiricism. Reason may not support emerging discovery, but empiricism supports probability. Studying online strategies for competing organizations that intuitively resonate with me provides a paradigm of sensory knowledge discovery. Using rationalism by applying reason, I further fine tune the value of data gained. Pragmatism allows consideration of useful information as true, and allows the opportunity to reason and create a workable model that allows logical leaps of faith (Moser & Vander Nat, 2003, p. 9). The technology-based field I work in requires a healthy relationship with skepticism. Innovative emerging technologies generally come with promises and hype. I approach new claims with a questioning attitude, to discern credible data from unsupported propaganda.
Knowledge truth. The success of strategy is dependent on emerging technologies, experimentation, and creativity. I incessantly strive to create new knowledge useful to my clients and their organizational success. To facilitate a benchmark at the beginning of the process, I first assess what I know. I review applicable theories, analyze reasoning, probability, viability, and usefulness. Historical definitions provide a framework of understanding and exploration through logical and organic methods. I further assess information by knowledge discovery that includes research, data gathering, analyzing competitive forces, the economy and the potential impact of these forces on the client business cycle. Relevancy of knowledge is questioned using a cost/benefit analysis.
As a representation of the client’s business evolves, I use knowledge acquired as a catalyst to create projections. Sensory knowledge such as intuition and insight at this point factors into knowledge creation. Once justified, the information can be applied to meet client organizational goals and objectives in support of the company’s mission, vision, and values.
Knowledge justification. As individuals, we may have varying means of justifying information as personally relevant and based on individual background, assumptions, and education. As I research data applicable to my client organizations, I am mindful to compare and contrast my views of data gathered with the opinions and ] assumptions of my client. A multi-faceted view of data created is analyzed from various perspectives by different individuals. This approach confirms leaps of faith and reasoning processes used to reach assumptions as new knowledge is generated.
According to Holt (2005), “Justification, according to the tripartite theory of knowledge, is the difference between merely believing something that is true, and knowing it. To have knowledge, on this account, we must have justification.” The tripartite theory of knowledge dates back to Plato, and discusses inferential justification for validation. A belief is then justified based on another underlying belief that is already accepted. To illustrate this concept, a foundational idea is that social media interventions helps e-commerce companies prosper. Based on the accepted foundational idea, an e-commerce firm approaches my consulting company. The client, the e-commerce firm has a good reason the foundational idea is true. In this example, the client reviewed statistical results that supported the success of social media interventions in boosting profitability in other organizations. My client, the e-commerce company, decides a social media policy and strategy will assist their company is meeting organizational goals and objectives of increased profitability.
Justification theories rely on idea, rationality, and probability. Epistemology focuses on justified beliefs. Haack (1993) distinguishes justification applied to propositional knowledge, describe as “knowledge that” versus “knowledge how”. According to Fumerton (2005), various justification theories and techniques exist. A basic example is: “To be justified in believing P on the basis of E one must be justified in believing E.” The context of epistemic justification necessitates relational acceptance between logical facts and concurrence on essential underlying assumptions.
Means of Knowledge Acquisition
My organization uses explicit knowledge to measure statistical data and tacit knowledge to apply the results to plan, refine, and evaluate a client organizational strategy (Becerra-Fernandez, et al, 2004). The knowledge creation and discovery process is complex and involves developing new tacit or explicit knowledge by using knowledge-based systems. Aristotle considered logical data gathering as knowledge acquisition, although Plato accepted awareness in defining universal forms (Heylighten, 1993).
Knowledge Discovery and Capture. Organizational artifacts and stakeholders provide strategic knowledge to organizations that contribute to the creation and support of a knowledge management organization. A key area in knowledge creation is storytelling. Storytelling allows information sharing between various organizational stakeholders such as clients, employees, organizational leaders, and management. A popular vehicle for storytelling is the blog. A blog is an area of a website reserved for discussion, commentary, events, and images. Listed entries are in reverse chronological order (Brain, 2010). Blogs allow sharing relevant information, feedback, brainstorming, and idea sharing. My organization uses observation, research, technology, and consumer feedback to discover and capture data.
Knowledge Sharing. Tacit information can contribute to organizational goal setting, leadership style, and community outreach. Explicit information gathered and justified is shared to promote organizational goal attainment. Various organizations maintain blogs to provide a forum which consumers can recommend products and services. This method of word-of-mouth serves as low cost advertising for the company.
Visual communications is a popular vehicle for knowledge sharing. Barriers to communication can be overcome by sharing knowledge visually through diagrams, graphs, and charts. PowerPoint presentations provide a visually appealing method to relay information. Graphs, charts, and images are embedded to communicate ideas clearly. Visual communication tools effectively dissolve communication barriers between technical and nontechnical audiences.
Knowledge Management in Organizations
The framework of epistemology expanded to the practical management of knowledge management (KM) in organizations. Competitive companies boost the competitive edge by implementing KM tactics, which include knowledge discovery, knowledge capture, and knowledge sharing. Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) accept organizational benefits realized when a KM system is used.
Organizations practicing KM require organizational leadership approaches that support the Knowledge Based Systems (KBS) implemented. A KM leader maximizes organizational potential by practicing suitable leadership strategies matching needs of the tasks, goals, and stakeholders. Emerging technologies provide tools to allow for effective KM by fulfilling KBS. Interventions are aligned with the vision, mission, and values of the organization.
Personal Action Plan for Acquiring and Applying Knowledge
E-Commerce business success is dependent on strong practice and leadership. In absence of a solid history of strategic planning, leaders must rely heavily on outside information. Should business owners rely on information not updated at a pace congruent with the online economy? Though resources are disbursed and astuteness is necessary, it appears the Internet provides a timely source of information. To direct an online business successfully (whether in the role of consultant or business owner) requires some solid skills. Because of the rapid pace of an e-commerce business and the opportunity for success, these goals are challenging in our current information dependent society (Presidential committee on information literacy: Final report. 1989, January 10). Success in the information age can be influenced by decisions based on poor information or obsolete data.
I classify my consulting practice as a knowledge creation company. The decision theories and problem-solving reasoning not predicated on an existing design and strategy is created using incomplete information without a clear framework. To mitigate risk, I created a Personal Philosophy of Knowledge (PPK) and a Personal Action Plan for acquiring and applying knowledge.
Personal Philosophy of Knowledge (PPK)
According to Stoud (2002), “The philosophical study of human knowledge seeks to understand what human knowledge is and how it comes to be”. Nonaka’s (2001) contemporary epistemological theories integrate with science exploring the potential for artificial intelligence. To embark on my personal philosophy of knowledge, I begin by saying that my senses are how I perceive the world. I receive information through my senses, creating a foundation for belief supported by the theory of empiricism. Epistemology is how I think, evaluate true and false data (skepticism), and organize information. To acquire understanding about the world, I employ reason and rationalism. Logic drives consistency in the information and knowledge I manage. Pragmatism influences the use of objectivity to associate knowledge and discover its usefulness and force. Ideas are abstractions of reality to be analyzed. Rationality is a means to build a correct epistemology. The extent of correctness in my epistemology is the degree of understanding reality, and effectiveness in achieving goals and objectives.
To illustrate, I research to gain knowledge of how to use social media for a client who works with inventors to sell products on television. Internet research involves empiricism by definition; I use my intuition and hunches to gather information on the target market of inventors of new products. Synthesizing the information gathered, I discover by reason viable targets (rationalization). Pragmatism promotes using already successful targets as a benchmark, while skepticism disqualifies promises that sound false or unlikely.
Personal Action Plan
My aim is of my personal action plan is to practice the Personal Philosophy of Knowledge (PPK) personally and professionally. Integrating all perspectives of analysis broadens the current scope of knowledge discovery and deduction practiced. I identify my consulting practice as a knowledge management (KM) organization heavily focused on knowledge creation. Currently my consulting firm, Liz Musil Consultants, includes divisions: website development, consulting for e-commerce companies, leadership development, and instructional design for universities.
Knowledge discovery and capture. In my organization, tacit information plays an important role in deciding strategies and tactics for emerging client organizations. KM itself is both an art and a science as social media effectiveness relies on not only the tools used, but also the manner in which the KM is administered to target market clients. Successes and failures in tactical implementation create new opportunities for KM discovery, allowing for more concrete future implementations.
Though KM gained through tacit knowledge is difficult to measure with respect to cost/benefit, the opportunity to create tangible result from intangible pursuits effectively allow companies to compete and lay the groundwork for a competitive edge. My company organization uses observation, research, technology, and consumer feedback to capture data. Strategies for knowledge discovery in place include data gathering by interview, networking, professional organization seminars, and online research. I plan to expand discovery and capture by adding a blog allowing feedback to my organization in which clients can share case studies and success stories resulting from performing services provided by my firm. I also intend to add blogs to my client websites so more information sharing can occur with valid feedback.
Knowledge sharing. Technology allows electronic communication of graphics, articles, data, and personal information. Traditional tools such as the phone, e-mail, the Internet, the intranet, and texting are in place. I plan to continue to experiment with emerging technologies and applications as potential avenues of information sharing.
Knowledge management. Knowledge Management (KM) is the practice of maximizing the use of knowledge resources in organizations (Becerra-Fernandez (2004). Resources divided into two main categories; subjective employee knowledge, and objective knowledge stemmed from organizational artifacts. In my workplace, I expect to employ the major practices discussed by implementing strategies in the virtual environment of the web.
The process of knowledge discovery is ongoing. Following trends in social media daily by reading industry newsletters, blogs, webinars, Internet radio, and Internet TV allow me to determine tactics for clients based on ideas, innovations, and the experiences of others. Knowledge capture is integrally tied to discovery, as I combine the results of my firm, tactics practiced by clients and measure this information with ideas learned in discovery.
Knowledge sharing is customized in my industry, no formula for success is guaranteed. I share to further my organizational goals and those of my clients via tactical experimentation. The connectivity that technology provides allows for mass sharing of data in both directions. I view KM practices as an interrelated cycle.
Leadership and management in a KM organization. My management and leadership journey does support the idea that leadership is both an art and a science. I strive as a transformational leader to practice self-awareness and confidence. As leadership is not sought for personal ego satisfaction, exchanges between leader and follower are genuine and mutually beneficial. Behavior is summarized as supporting the organizational goals and vision, linking to personal follower goals, and displaying emotional intelligence. Dynamics of the economy, innovation, globalization and competition demands customized leadership solutions and strategies that employ the benevolent aspects of all leadership styles.
Technology in a KM organization. To compete effectively in the current business environment, especially in technology-based businesses such as online universities and e-commerce companies, access to timely and reliable information is crucial. Several critical challenges must be overcome. These challenges include the timeliness of information, the accuracy of information in a global marketplace, and viable critical thinking skills to create and execute strategy. E-Commerce business success is dependent on strong practice and leadership. Technology allows business to use emerging media in which there is no reliable blueprint for profitability and success. In times of rapid technological information, continual learning and knowledge development and KM surveying is the ideal standard.
In using knowledge sharing systems, my organization considers the asynchronous global nature of information shared. To maximize my mission, vision, and values as well as the mission, vision and values of my clients, I take the following qualities into consideration: accurate knowledge, speed of delivery, asynchronous delivery, and security. Knowledge sharing systems I rely on include the Internet, databases, web-based applications, and mobile applications. “The organization takes feedback from users – their experience and knowledge about a product – and combines it with the technical knowledge of their development staff to create new knowledge, for example best practices and lessons learned and ultimately new products ” (Becerra-Fernandez et al, 2004, p. 306). By understanding the dynamic business environment online, vulnerabilities in strategic execution can be avoided. The backbone of potential success is knowledge sharing, defined as accessing the necessary information, discerning the quality and timeliness of the data, and sharing the information learned critically.
I can apply the new knowledge to the company using a knowledge-based system customized to the organization. The learning capacity and effectiveness of the company is increases with the shared knowledge. Becerra-Fernandez, Gonzalez, and Sabherwal (2004) said that: “Knowledge management does not always need to use knowledge to solve problems, but it may also support knowledge capture for humans to learn in the future” (p. 114). I therefore view knowledge management activities as continuing data collection and interpretation, the data may be used in the future to support a specified goal or strategy.
Illumination – My Philosophy of Knowledge in Practice
At the start of this class, I practiced data gathering, comparing and contrasting ideas, and applying intuitive insights toward analysis for decision making. This course significantly broadened my approach as I explored historical definitions of knowledge and epistemology. Various types of knowledge and methods of knowledge acquisition were analyzed. Justification of knowledge and different views of reasoning outlined by ancient philosophies illustrate the complexity of human cognitive development, as knowledge created must be applied. Competitive companies boost the competitive edge by implementing KM tactics, which include knowledge discovery, knowledge capture, and knowledge sharing. Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) admit organizational benefits realized when a KM system is used.
Organizations practicing KM require organizational leadership approaches that support the Knowledge Based Systems (KBS) implemented. A KM leader maximizes organizational potential by practicing appropriate leadership strategies matching needs of the tasks, goals, and stakeholders. Emerging technologies provide tools to allow for effective KM by doing KBS. Interventions are aligned with the vision, mission, and values of the organization. I am working to clarify and fine tune my philosophy of knowledge, considering the broad spectrum of possibility and opportunity for implementation in all areas of my life.
References
Becerra-Fernandez, I., Gonzalez, A., & Sabherwal, R. (2004). Knowledge Management: Challenges, Solutions, and Technologies (1 ed.). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetdataid=415ddcdb-e59e-4684-8d88-1526b6f7c641&assetmetaid=1d16e9b7-44b6-47cf-8ae0-1b28aff8efb4
Brain, M. (2010). How Blogs Work. Retrieved from: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/social-networking/information/blog.htm
Definition of epistemology (May, 2010). Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Epistemology
Denning, S (2002). What is Knowledge. Retrieved from www.stevendenning.com
Fumerton, R. (2005). Foundationalist Theories of Epistemic Justification. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/justep-foundational/
Haack, S. (1993). Evidence and Inquiry: Towards Reconstruction in Epistemology. Wiley-Blackwell.
Heylighen, F. (Sept. 1993, Sept. 1993). Epistemology, introduction. Principia Cybernetica Web. Retrieved from http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/EPISTEMI.html
Holt, t. (2005). Epistemic Justification. Theory of Knowledge.info. http://www.theoryofknowledge.info/justification.html
Moser, P. K., & Vander Nat, A. (2002). Human Knowledge: Classical and Contemporary Approaches. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetdataid=2f143826-c2df-4b52-acfa-0d74d75b3f33&assetmetaid=54c28435-ea91-4051-b097-15a3cb373626
Nonaka, I., & Nishiguchi , T. (2001). Knowledge Emergence; Social Technical, and Evolutionary Dimensions of Knowledge Creation. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetdataid=1795ff77-1bf7-477c-a758-f5c585b02750&assetmetaid=b43142d1-6720-4de0-90eb-117eb186fb3b
Presidential committee on information literacy: Final report. (1989, January 10). Retrieved from http://news.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/whitepapers/presidential.com
Stroud, B. (2002). Understanding Human Knowledge Philosophical Essays. doi: 10.1093/0199252130.001.0001
