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Volume 9: Number 2: Article 7
Two Kinds of Knowledge: Maps and Stories
Henry H. Bauer, Chemistry & Science Studies, Virginia Polytechnic
Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0212
The most reliable knowledge is map-like: "If you do this, then
that will always follow." But such knowledge carries little if any inherent
human meaning. Most meaningful is story-like knowledge, which
teaches about morals and values; but about that, agreement cannot be
forced by demonstration. Failure to distinguish between the meaningfulness
and the reliability of knowledge helps to make arguments intractable.
It would be very useful always to ask about a bit of claimed knowledge,
"Is this more like a story or more like a map?"
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