What is it to 'Know'?

What is it to 'Know'? Knowing is not a linear acquisition or a log of tasks finished or a line of books read. It is always being present in awareness in the present tense. It is better explained negatively as becoming aware of one's ignorance. Gadamer is right when he says "But this is not the way of human wisdom. A knowledge of our own ignorance is what human wisdom is." when he is trying to explain what exactly the socratic method consists in. Taking great pains to know you end up by realising that you have been unsuspectingly ignorant even in things which you thought you knew very well.

That is why many persons are not convenient about 'knowing as such'. It always disturbs. Great efforts are put only to come up with a realisation of one's ignorance, unsuspected so far. So rather they compromise and become comfortable with a pseudo. That is, words, quotations, others' books as authority. 

Study the books rather and attain the scholarship. So tangible and a permanent credit score, is it not? So the unambiguous explaining of Books becomes the fashion and a silent substitute. The process of real 'Knowing' is so threatening. Every moment, every time you are shown that you have been ignorant. Bah! you can't happily recline on your 'credits gained easy chair' !

But 'Knowing' knows no compromise. If you want to know you must be ready for being humiliated by the reality any time and what time one does not know. Humility becomes a better definition of you to yourself.

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