Makes the assumption that knowledge has to be applied to everyday life in the world for it to be useful. However, it is not explicitly stated for whom the value of knowledge is diminished. Therefore, I feel to properly answer the question it is necessary to assume that there is a difference to the way society as a whole and the individual can benefit when it comes to the knowledge. In this essay I will be defining knowledge as information, understanding, or a particular skill that you get from experience or education. In order to understand how knowledge is or is not valuable, I find it necessary to also define value. Value is defined as an object's usefulness or importance. In the case of the question, how valuable the piece of knowledge is depending on if it can still be useful and important without application in the world. Finally, to answer the question I need to define application. In terms of the title, application means the capacity for practical use in the real world. I will be focusing on the areas of knowledge of Math's and the Human Sciences. The gain of knowledge greatly differs between each of these AOK’s and will allow me to explore a variety of perspectives about knowledge. I will be looking at the different ways that individuals and society can stand to benefit from their knowledge. Specifically, I will be determining whether or not it is necessary for the knowledge gained in these areas of knowledge to be applicable to the world for the knowledge to still be valuable in some way.
In mathematics, higher principles can be extremely hard for the average person to understand. However, does their complexity inhibit the value the knowledge holds? I believe that when a mathematical principle cannot be currently solved or disproven, the very fact that it exists will inspire further research and investigation towards that topic and thus will provide a use to society in that way. Fermat was examining Diophantine equations of the form for integers, and had determined that there were in fact no integer values that could solve the equation. Fermat never disclosed the proof for this idea, stating that the margins of the book in which he wrote this claim were too narrow to hold the proof. The proof of Fermat's conjecture wasn't solved for more than 350 years, even after the contributions of thousands of mathematicians. In 1996 suitable evidence to verify Fermat’s conjecture was found using techniques inaccessible during Fermat’s time. This proof was detailed in over 100 pages of mathematics. At the time of creation, Fermat's last theorem had no recorded proof and thus could not be applied in the real world. However, this did not stop Fermat’s idea from being useful to society. Due to the rigorous testing and proof required for mathematics to function, Fermat's theorem could not go untouched. The lack of recorded proof helped to create stimulation in the interest and thus the eventual solutions to Diophantine equations. Once this was solved the value of the theorem has thusly been proved. Today Fermat's solutions to the equation simplify to form the Pythagorean triple triangles that are still taught in schools as part of the algebra units. Mathematicians had to have put some faith into the words of Fermat to further investigate his ideas, therefore it is necessary to use this way of knowing when attempting to justify seemingly unfalsifiable theories or ideas such as Fermat's.
However, it can be argued that this knowledge’s value still largely depends on its relevance to the knower. For example, an English teacher would on a general basis have very little use for the Mathematical knowledge of Fermat’s last theorem. Unless of course the English teacher was to in their spare time to apply the theorem to solve Diophantine equations. An English teacher is required to only understand math's as a basic level. This mathematical knowledge is not used within their profession but instead on their way to becoming a qualified teacher. The teacher would have to have passed at least some form of minimum schooling prior to qualification, requiring the usage of math's perhaps only as early on as pre 16 education. The knowledge of Fermat's theorem is not tested by the teachers’ occupation and in this way they would not have to apply it to any facet of their life where it was not voluntary. Therefore, the knowledge can still have real life application and be used by other people besides the knower in tandem with the knower gaining no value from the knowledge.
In contrast to Mathematics where the knowledge is often shared and widely accepted, when it comes to other aok’s such as the Arts, knowledge is largely individual in nature and relies on the knowers interpretation of the provided stimulus. Multiple different people can reasonably deduce and gain knowledge from observing a piece of art in completely different ways. In this sense the knowledge of the piece of art’s analysis or deeper meaning cannot be successfully applied to everyone in the world. How does the knowers interpretation of a piece of art impact on its value? When gaining knowledge via the Analysis of art It is not the decision made about the painting (e.g. whether or not it is beautiful or meaningful) that matters, but instead how the knower forms these conclusions using their own reasoning and intuition. The subjective nature of art allows for varying justifications for one's interpretation of the painting, Therefore the knowledge about any piece of art can at one time only be applied to the knower. An example of one art style that is perhaps the most subjective is abstract art. The definition of abstract art is a medium of art that does not appear to depict a person, place or thing in the natural world. By this definition all abstract art has serious limitations in terms of “real world” application because the art itself is not based on reality. However, I believe that it is possible for the knower to formulate a personally valuable opinion or analysis of a painting, emotionally responding to the art. An example of abstract art is shown below.
The painting is called number 11 but is also sometimes called blue poles and was created by Jackson Pollock in 1952. One interpretation of the painting by Marianna Papageorgiu is that the swaying of the poles shows how people try and act strong but are deeply affected and swayed by the chaos and destruction within their lives. Pollock’s untraditional method of painting helps to highlight the deeper meaning of his work. The abstract art style Pollock adopts can be seen to carry personal value due to the emotion required to produce it and the emotional response it has on those who witness it. If the knower can gain insight about the world in the same way Marianna did by looking at an abstract painting it can be possible for abstract art to hold value despite its limited basis on reality.
However just as easily as Marianna can gain knowledge about society from abstract art, someone else can interpret a completely different message that may have no use to their lives. For example, my own personal interpretation of the painting (Blue poles) holds little value to me personally. Instead I feel the painting reflects more on the Jackson Pollock. The splatters of the warmer colored paint are shown to be blocked out by the intensity of the blue poles. In my opinion this is a reflection of how true and untamable emotions (the seemingly random splatters) are trapped under the blue bars as if they are imprisoned. To me this shows how we reserve our true feelings in fear of what society thinks of us. However, I do not entirely agree that this interpretation is representative my own feeling of my position in society. It is not representative of my own worldview and has little real world application for me. And as a whole even though I acknowledge my own interpretation of the painting, it has little real world value to me.
In conclusion I feel that real world application is not entirely necessary for in order to gain valuable knowledge. Value is largely based on the individual's use for a piece of knowledge and on a general basis