In week one, we are discussing a concept called “epistemology” which refers to the idea of “how we know anything”. Knowing matters because without knowledge, we can’t make decisions and take actions. Then, the question becomes “how do we now anything?” The most popular theory we use in modern times is the phrase “Esse est Percipi” which roughly translates to “the most important thing in the world, to know anything, is to see it, to perceive it…”. In other words, “Seeing is believing”. But is it? Is seeing and perceiving the only way to gain knowledge about the world? If all our knowledge of the world comes from only the senses (e.g., seeing, hearing, touching), what about things like human intuition, instinct and even even sensing energy? In fact, think about when we talk to people how much information is gained from actual words versus the “feel” you get from another person’s energy? At any rate, plese view the following two videos and respond to the questions as well a classmate.
Mueller – Lyer Illusion (Video 1)
Solomon Asch Conformity Experiment
Discussion Questions
1. What does the Mueller-Lyer line experiment tell us about the influence of our own perceptional biases?
2. What does the Solomon-Asch experiment tell us about how society and peer pressure can change our perception?
3. Is “Seeing is believing” always true? Are there other ways we can attain knowledge about the world that are just as dependable but they are not accepted by society? What are your thoughts and pleas respond to a classmate
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