fbpx

By Robert Wood, Senior Social Media Advisor – The Prison Scholar Fund

What do technology, understanding, and the human condition all have in common? They are all knowledge driven. In a world that evolves nearly as fast it spins technology, understanding, and the human condition are constants. The fact that these three things are interrelated makes it much easier to recommend understanding all three as means to a greater human experience. The only way to understand all three is through knowledge which relates to them as it pertains to you. In order to better understand why knowledge is such an important factor in all three of these areas as well as everything else consider the following: knowledge, in some form or fashion, is the answer even before a problem is posed. The available knowledge doesn’t always guarantee the desired outcome but with the proper knowledge you can optimize the outcome of just about any situation. In reality it’s just matter of what specific knowledge is needed to optimally deal with a particular situation as it arises. Today’s technology allows us access to more knowledge and information (knowledge in various forms) than ever before.

Gaining a greater knowledge of the technology relevant to your craft and your life puts you at a definitive advantage. In my case, I like to write books and screenplays. In my current situation it’s very tough because in here I lack access to some of the technology which could make it much easier. However, by me taking the time to learn what I can do with the technology now, when I do get access to the technology my prior knowledge of it will allow me to use screenwriting programs, share files with others for collaboration, and even have my books printed on demand. Today’s technology actually allows us to learn even quicker and tests hypotheses about new information at record speeds to get to the next big thing much faster. Taking the time to understand the technology that applies to your aspirations will more than likely allow you to reach your goals quicker and more efficiently. Technology allows us faster access to information for a better understanding of any area of knowledge we need. It is up to us to decide which knowledge we will access and how we will use it. In order to do that we have to really understand what it takes to do what we aspire to, and where and how to access that knowledge. For school, business, and other papers requiring any research the internet and various computer programs allow you to access knowledge via technology and even use the technology to put together top of the line papers very rapidly. The technology however, does not circumvent the need to understand the material. Understanding must be there for technology to be of use.

Understanding is not only pertinent to knowledge it is pertinent to humankind and all that we do. In order to really understand something we must understand it from a human perspective because quite frankly that is the only perspective available to us. We must then observe whatever it is we seek to understand very closely to get a direct understanding of it. In most cases there are courses we can take that will give us the benefit of other people’s previous insights. Those courses will allow us to get deeper into whatever it is that we are seeking to understand based on secondary sources (knowledge already obtained by others) which can then be applied to the things we need to know. Notice the secondary knowledge has a human factor. In evaluating knowledge you must understand the sources to understand the accuracy and of the knowledge and the possible motivations for presenting it in a certain manner. To understand people you must gain knowledge of them whether it’s personal or professional understanding you seek. Knowledge of friends and family members allow us to “know” them. Knowing our target demographic allows up to make products they appreciate. Knowing ourselves allow us to better please ourselves and make choices we can stick to. Knowledge of our spiritual beliefs gives us inner peace and technology allows us to talk communicate with people all over the world with the same, or even, opposing beliefs. In life technology, understanding, and the human condition affect, or are affected by, nearly everything. That makes knowledge of these things critically important to our lives

As we go through this life there is nothing that affects us as much as the people we meet and the knowledge we absorb. Knowledge is the energy source of humankinds sustained existence. With knowledge we continue move forward and progress. Without we would not be able to adapt to our surroundings. Humankind doesn’t adapt to the environment the way most other species do. We are the only known species on Earth which adapts primarily through technology, which is simply the application of various bodies of knowledge, usually to advance the human condition. That allows us to make quicker more accurate adaptations and even change our environment as needed to serve our purposes. Knowledge, technology, and the human factor are all interrelated parts of the human experience and we must understand the utilization of all three to maximize our lives. Knowledge – it drives technology, it drives the human condition, and it can drive better world if properly applied.