Definitions - #301 - #05 – To “know” versus to “understand”.

(The “Hammer and Nail” story)

I. First a story…….
Suppose I give you a hammer and a nail for the first time.
I “teach” you to use them.
You “learn” to use them.
You actually “use” them.
You “remember” how to you use them.
And finally, you “memorize” how to use them.
To repeat….I teach, you learn, you use, you remember, and you memorize how to use them.

Fairly complete? ….Yes? …….

So I give you a hammer and nail and you drive a nail right through the pane glass window!
You forgot one thing!!!
You don’t “understand” a hammer and a nail!!!! You “know” about a hammer and nail but you don’t “understand” the hammer and nail

II. Look what this means!!…..

I send you to school and they “teach’ you the English language.
You “learn” the English language.
You “use” the English language.
You “remember” the English language.
You “memorize” the English language ….. But you don’t “understand” the English language!!!!

III. You don’t recognize the difference between “to know” and “to understand”!!!! ….

IV. You can now imagine what this means….for now and for the future. Were you aware of the difference?

V. How are we going to cope with people who haven’t been introduced to this kind of thinking? We are talking about “Definition”, “Understanding”, “Mutual”, and “How do you have a thought?” “Is there a successful alternative?”; or, do we just have to recognize this deficiency and “do” something about it?

(By the way, who is capable of “teaching” this? …. Who “understands” this?)