Knowledge Content Of Documents

How would you classify the 'knowledge' content of the Bible, the Koran, Vedas or the Upanishad?

Interesting question. Does the Bible have knowledge content? My contention is that it is only as we absorb the information presented to us in the Bible, undertake processes of aligning or modifying our existing mental models, that the information the Bible presents becomes knowledge. Taking my proposition further, I suggest that the knowledge which people acquire in reading the Bible involves numerous other processes. It often involves exposition by another, providing background, context, etc before the meaning even becomes vaguely apparent. Take the story of the Good Samaritan. Until it is explained to you that Samaritans were a despised people, the significance remains lost to the reader.

Please remember that my proposition is not something to which I hold immutably. It does however provide a useful testing point and mechanism for improving my understanding of the concepts inherent in understanding KnowledgeManagement.

For me, to make no distinction between information and knowledge is to make no distinction between information management and knowledge management. So what value does the knowledge management concept offer in such a situation?

There are numerous usefulnesses of this distinction.

If we regard the Bible as information not knowledge, then we see that information management principles are what applies to the Bible, not knowledge management principles. So we can talk about the access, availability, reliability, and integrity of the information. If we also regard it as a document, then we can apply document management principles.

To regard it as knowledge promotes the concept of knowledge as object, as constant, as existing without reference to people. If we see knowledge as something generated in a person's mind as they read the Bible, as they hear the stories and the associated explanations which help its significance emerge, as they reflect on their experiences and their relationship to experiences shared in the Bible, we see that knowledge management focuses on the person, their interaction with others, both those who share their stories through the Bible, those who share their understanding of the background and relevance, and those who share their experience of the implications for their lives. So, knowledge management focusses around the people, rather than the Bible, because the knowledge is shared, communicated and transferred by the people, not by the book, perhaps?

Hmm. Perhaps we need to distinguish between the various stages of "content" generation and delivery. I have seen this description used in multiple places before, but let me repeat it here:

You start with data. This is a collection of facts that can be measured and quantified. This data is meaningful, but not organized into something you can use directly.

You then apply analysis to data to extract information, which is a refinement of raw data into something a little more useful. Now you gots a handle on what's going on in terms you find convenient to work with.

From there you synthesize knowledge based on what you've found out and what you've already come to know along the way.

But the ultimate goal is to take all that knowledge and the experience you've painfully gained and turn it all into wisdom. This is what you'd like to convey to others and the final, concise, and best-of-the-best distillation of everything that has come before.

Okay, so how do we apply that here? Is this the right venue to discuss such a heavy topic, or do we need to take it to another page?

CategoryKnowledge