What are the validity constraints of the human span of knowledge and knowability?
Explanation: The Human span of knowledge must have to qualify the test of validity, as invalid knowledge in essence is no knowledge at all.
What is the span of various knowledge classes man can acquire?
Explanation: Man can have three Categories of Knowledge, i.e. A Priori Synthetic, A Priori Analytic, and A Posteriori Synthetic.
How can an element of knowledge be tested for validity?
Explanation: An element of knowledge, to be valid, must have to pass the criteria of validity described under the tenets of Logical Positivism.
What is a priori synthetic knowledge and what are the criteria for such knowledge to be valid?
Explanation: A Priori synthetic is the knowledge class/category pertaining to non-material and/or realities beyond the purview of our observation and experimentation. As they are beyond observation and experimentation, they do not belong to the knowledge category of concrete sciences as such. Laboratory experimentation on such knowledge elements is not possible.
Further, the knowledge cannot be broken into parts and sub-parts for subsequent analysis. It is one and whole.
The example of such a knowledge class is the law of summation, i.e. “sum of 2+3=5”. For such knowledge to be true, there is no precise criterion as a test for validity. They are simply matters of belief. Where they are used, their successive and repeated applications create a sense of correctness. For such a knowledge class, we are not in a position to comment on its truth or falsity. We have the choice either to accept or reject such statements but are not entitled to comment on their validity.
To reiterate, the limiting criterion for Knowledge of this class to be true is merely justifying that the parent statement—based on the analysis of all such seemingly separate and distinct statements as presented—is proven true and valid.
👉 Read also:
- On the Qur’an, Theology and Mysticism (Questions and Explanations Part 1)
- On Islam, the Qur’an, Sufism, and Human Nature (Questions and Explanations Part 2)
- On Prophets, Personality and Success in the Quran (Questions and Explanations Part 3)
- What Is the Subject Matter of the Qur’an? (Questions and Explanations Part 4)
- On Faith, Knowledge and the Hereafter (Questions and Explanations Part 5)
- Understanding Submission, Divine Wisdom, and Hadith (Questions and Explanations Part 6)
- What Does It Mean to Live Righteously in Islam? (Questions and Explanations Part 7)
- On Belief in Destiny and Qur’anic Reflection (Questions and Explanations Part 8)
