What does it mean to know?

As the first day of class, I expected it to be one of those first day classes merely spent learning each other’s names, calling out your hobbies, and basically, a study hall. What I least expected was the question that was thrown at my face the minute we walked in. “What does it mean to know?” Well, what does it mean to know? The answer that came to my head was “To be certain of something with proof.” I was pretty sure that I had a clear definition of what “knowing” meant. However, Dr. Escalante Mead started questioning our responses. What about God? We can’t see him, but how do you know he’s there? This threw me off guard, because it obviously didn’t match my definition of what it means to know. Obviously, I know there is a God because I believe in it. My parents had read me passages of miracles from the Bible, and taught me about Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. But could I physically see God? Of course not. It’s just too risky to say that knowing something can be based only upon belief. It just made me think that much deeper…How much do I truly know? Is everything I know a fact? Or merely things that I hear and learn to believe that it are true when it’s actually a pure lie or fiction? We discussed how knowing is not only determined by proof or your knowledge in a specific field. Personally, I believe everyone has a different perception on what they “know”. Of course, if there were tangible proof for everything we ever know, life would be so much easier. But I realize that your background, culture, family, and even senses could affect what you claim to truly “know”.

To be totally honest, I had never thought so deeply and continuously in my life. I left the class feeling as if a bomb had exploded in my head…I just hope that throughout this year, I learn to grow and think outside the box, to ponder beyond my comfort zone in connecting with different aspects and perspective on knowledge.