The inherent human curiosity to know has led us to send astronauts to the moon, deploy robotic vehicles to Mars, launch space probes beyond our solar system, and install satellite observatories in space. Knowledge is what makes us different from other species on Earth. We seek and need knowledge. The knowledge we require to survive in this world and live a happy and peaceful social life is constantly changing with time.
How to hunt animals, how to catch fish, how to gather fruits from trees – that was all our ancient ancestors needed to know to lead a happy life. But in the modern world, the bases of the division of labor have become wide and diverse and we need to have specific professional knowledge and a lot of technical knowledge and skills to survive.
Do you need to know about the supernova and black holes to live a peaceful life with your family on your modest income as an accountant or dentist? Most likely, your answer would be “No”. So, how much do we need to know, and about what?
Let’s try to find some answers to this question. First of all, we need to have knowledge about the job we are doing to put food on the table. The field and volume of this knowledge vary with our profession. The volume of knowledge a plumber needs is much less than that of an engineer. Also, the knowledge of supernovas and black holes, while not necessary for accountants and dentists, is absolutely required for astronomers or astrophysicists.
The kind of knowledge needed also depends on your location. If you are a city dweller you need to know how to cross roads using zebra crossing, how to travel by metro rail or subway, how to call an Uber, how to make online transactions, etc. most of which you do not need to know if you live in a village. Similarly, if you live in a village, you are close to nature and accordingly, you need to know a lot about nature and of course, the chores of village living.
We have heard the story of the miraculous survival of four children who went missing after the plane carrying them crashed in the Amazon in southern Colombia on May 1, 2023. The crash killed all the adults on board, including their mother, the pilot, and another person. According to AP News, the children were aged 13, 9, and 4 years and 11 months. They were found alive after 40 days on June 9, 2023. The children belonged to an indigenous community and possessed familiarity and knowledge of the Amazon Forest. That knowledge greatly helped them to survive.
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This article was published in the Daily Sun on June 22, 2023. Please read the full article here or here.