Knowledge as a phenomenon is studied by a science called epistemology.
From the point of view of this science, the term denotes a set of methods, processes, procedures for comprehending the world around us, society, an objective reaction.
There are several types of cognition.
• Religious, the object of which is God (regardless of religion). Through God, a person tries to understand himself, the value of his personality.
• Mythological, characteristic of the primitive system. Cognition of the world through the personification of unknown concepts.
• Philosophical. This is a very special, holistic way of knowing the world, personality, their interaction. It does not involve the comprehension of individual things or phenomena, but the finding of general, universal laws of being.
• Artistic. Reflection and acquisition of knowledge through images, symbols, signs.
• Scientific. The search for knowledge that objectively reflects the laws of the world.
Scientific knowledge is dual, it has two approaches. The first one is non-empirical (theoretical). This type involves the generalization of knowledge obtained empirically, the construction of scientific theories andlaws.
The empirical path of knowledge suggests that a person studies the world around him through experience, experiment, observation.
Kant believed that there are stages of knowledge. On the first is sensual comprehension, on the second - the mind, on the third - the mind. And here in the first place comes the knowledge of the world with the help of feelings.
Sensory knowledge is a way of mastering the world, which depends on the internal organs of a person and his feelings. Sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch bring only primary knowledge about the world, its external side. The resulting image will always be specific.
There is an interesting pattern here. The resulting image will be objective in content but subjective in form.
The object will always be versatile and richer than its subjective perception, because it allows you to know the object only from a certain angle.
There are certain forms of sense cognition.
• Senses: touch, hearing, smell, sight, taste. This is the first, starting form of knowledge. Gives only a partial idea of the subject. It is known through the senses, and therefore rather one-sided and subjective. The color of an apple cannot be judged on its taste, some beautiful (visually) orchids emit a disgusting smell of long-lost meat.
• Such forms of sensory cognition, as perception, allow you to create a sensory picture of an object or phenomenon. This is the first stage of knowledge. Perception assumes an active character, it has definite goals andtasks. Perception allows you to accumulate material on which you can already build judgments.
• Submission. Without this form of sensory cognition, it would be impossible to cognize the surrounding reality, comprehend it and store it in your memory. Our memory is selective. It does not reproduce the phenomena as a whole, but only those fragments that are most important.
Three forms of sensory cognition prepare a person for the transition to another, higher level of cognition - abstraction.
