Through this example, we can also see that because there are many points of view, and because there are various sources of information (based on different perceptions of reality of the situation), we can conclude that a source from authority is not always completely correct. Although I saw the different attitudes to the crises, and heard different points of view, there was still a problem in finding the truth. In our perception of different matters, we error because our senses tell us different things.
Another source of knowledge is from memory and experiencing different events which lead us to drawing a generalized conclusion on what we believe we saw. Conjecture (drawing of a conclusion based on previous information, knowledge or experience), belief (interpretation based on personal experience), and opinion (concluded belief based on a judgment of what we have seen or have been through) all let us believe more firmly on what we know because we have experienced it.
Comparing and contrasting information acquired from authority (usually deliberately biased sources aimed to discredit or honoring something or someone) and experience (and memories of that experience), we see the level of reliability in the different sources of knowledge. For example, if it is written in a history text book, that 10 million soldiers were killed in World War One, and on the internet, an estimate of 37 million casualties was presented, there is a clear lacking of accuracy of information from the authority. In this case, we have developed “dog-tags,” which soldiers wear in war. When one dies, his or her dog tag is taken from him or her to record number of casualties in the war. This aims on improving accuracy of information presented to us from authority, or else we will begin to doubt knowledge from this source.
Through memory, however, you base knowledge on previous experiences. For example, you don’t listen to other soccer player’s accounts of how painful an injury was, because you have felt it yourself, and so are more certain of what you know. Superstition, assumption, opinion, belief and conjecture are the ways of knowing Descartes says are from an interpretation of arthritically passed down information or of personal experience.
When we study an event or look at something from the outside, our brain looks at the data in a certain way, and then the brain analyses it. The problem is that we tend to believe that through the sense of sight we have access to the outside world. We think others looking at the same object see and think of the same thing, but we don’t think in the sense that the other’s brain interprets what is being looked at at a different angle. Therefore we can conclude that different point of views can be seen with different people when looking at the same object because different interpretations are made. Reasons for mistakes or lack of knowledge can be as simple as ignorance towards certain facts or key events that our brain disregards completely to maintain a stable opinion. Another reason why we err could be because we trust first impressions, and don’t take the time to verify everything scientifically- as long as a complicated math formula works, we don’t need to question it.
Sight can be a major factor of a source of information. For example, both monkeys and men both use their two eyes that lead us to focusing onto a single object in order to produce a three-dimensional image, so we can better judge distance of us to an object. If one drinks too much alcohol, or takes hallucinogenic drugs, such as LSD, the person’s sense of perception is contorted, as the brain is under influence, and so the person slowly begins to lose control of him or herself. What we perceive may depend upon our surrounding environment. Thus, what we see and perceive depends on the state of our sense organs, their health and sensitivity, so when a man is drunk, he doesn’t think as clearly as when he is sober.
Another way we can make mistakes, although we can see, is by reading just the first letter and the last letter in a word, and then we speculate what the word is without verifying. We do this a lot whilst reading a novel, and when we realize that the guessed word’s meaning does not fit in with the context of the story we go back and double check. E.g., the words “hunt” and “hurt” are similar apart from the “n” and “r.” However, there is no proof that all literate people skip through parts of the word because they assume what it is, but it has been proven at Cambridge University that it doesn’t matter in what order letters are in a word, but the first and last letters must be in place.
If you hear music, at personal loudness level of satisfaction, you see no problem because at present you don’t think it is damaging your ears, but the high level of decibels may cause future hearing problems. As well, a volume of music may seem to you perfectly ok. When a person, such as your mother enters the room, she may feel or observe your mistake of listening to music at such a high level. Thus, one person may consider something as a mistake, while another may not.
Your behavior to others may seem perfectly acceptable to you, but your attitude may be disrespectful, and you may make the error of not noticing the rudeness towards the person because you do not see what you are doing wrong, although you have eyes.
Different cultural backgrounds can lead to different perceptions on everything (e.g. behavior, objects, interpretations…). For example, the sight of a cow in India is sacred and may provoke a reverend behavior, while to a gourmet person, cows remind them of juicy steaks! Also, to some farmers sight of the cow can be seen as a source of income, but in some countries such as Britain recently, the sight of a cow reminds them of the mad cow disease! Any of these views can be considered an error by a person who holds a different view.
In the Bible, Christianity states (Jesus mentioned), if someone hits you on one cheek, turn to show him the other. This could be interpreted as give the person a second chance to be forgiven. On the other hand, in he Islamic religion, in the Koran says, “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” This is said to incite people to defend themselves and take revenge. This example shows how different religious backgrounds affect opinion on how to deal with such a situation- how to interpret what you see and what you hear.
I conclude that different people have different matters of perception, and have different opinions based on their cultural background. They may also have a mind which analyzes information in a different perspective than the mind of others. Humans can also obtain information from a variety of sources. Whether the information from authority or experience is accurate, is a subjective opinion, which others may view as an error in belief. Thus, to avoid error, one must not only rely on his or her senses and perception, but that of others as well.