Power/Knowledge

Posted by

How can it be that conventional economic theories are so easily proven wrong, and yet continue to be widely believed and taught in universities throughout the world? To answer this requires learning more about the nature of human knowledge. Knowledge which justifies and celebrates existing power structures dominates in the media.Once we appreciate the close link between knowledge and power, then the central role and Importance of Education in creating and changing the world we live in also becomes clear. More than rocks and stones, the world we live in is a social construct created by our agreements on history and geography.

The Power of Ideas

Widely believed materialist theories suggest that our ideas are not important; our future is determined by our material resources. This is emphatically not true. Our ideas, which depend on our knowledge, make a big difference, and visionaries have changes the tides of history on countless occasions.

 The Subaltern’s Tale

History as told by the victors is very different from the same story told by the defeated. In fact both accounts are biased, but to learn the truth, it is necessary to understand both points of view.

The Nature of Human Knowledge

It is commonly and widely believed that our knowledge reflects the truth, the realities of the world we live in. French philosopher Foucault demonstrated that a lot of human knowledge simply reflects the interests of those in power, without having any relation to reality or truth. This is a revolutionary and vital insight for understanding the world we live in.

Science and Religion: A battle between science and Catholic Church led scientists to claim that science is the only valid source of knowledge. This came to be widely believed in Europe. It was later discovered that science provides no basis for morality. The conclusion that religion is mere superstition undermined morality with severe consequences.

Gödel’s Theorems and the Limits of Reason:

Godel proved mathematically that reason is limited in scope, even its heartland of mathematical reasoning about numbers. We cannot use it to solve the greater mysteries of life.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *