Let us try and investigate the difference between Information, Knowledge and Learning. At the very beginning I wish to propose that there may be a relation between information and knowledge but learning is of a different order. Information could correspond to communication both verbal and non verbal and the receiving of sensory inputs. This is often derided as mere intellectual understanding. Real understanding on the other hand is assimilation of this information and relating it to our experiences. This could be compared to filing of the information in appropriate folder for future use in the memory bank and is done in the form of an image which has an energetic content that converts into a response at the time of appropriate stimulus.. Let us take an example to illustrate it. My friend informed me that so and so (living in a foreign land) was speaking ill about me. Now this information would not have much value if the person is not known to me and does not form part of my circle of friends. It is in this context we must understand the importance of the saying ‘love thy neighbour’ for it is a far more difficult thing to do than altruistic love for all mankind. Now the information that someone spoke ill of me, if it pertains to my neighbour affects me for it gets correlated with the knowledge (experiences) I have had with that person and the likely consequences I imagine. This in turn adds to the previous knowledge in my memory and may affect my subsequent behaviour. Learning at least in spiritual matters on the other hand is acquiring something totally new. The usual process of information adding up to already stored knowledge will vitiate our chances of learning something entirely unrelated to our past. For such a learning to take place we must not let our past interfere. This is best done at the time of reception of information or sensory input. This means that we are ‘Present’ at the time of the input and don’t let the mechanical habit of relating information to memory come into play.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 11:41:51 +0000
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