The Essence of Knowledge: Books, Experience, and Perspectives

This essay delves into the age-old debate of how we acquire knowledge, contrasting the insights gained from books and real-world experiences. The student begins by highlighting the philosophical perspectives on the value of knowledge from both sources. The essay then discusses the limitations of books, such as potential inaccuracies and the challenge of complex ideas, while also acknowledging the importance of books as a source of information. The essay emphasizes the significance of personal experiences for lifelong retention and practical understanding, contrasting the theoretical concepts in books with the practical concepts learned from real-life. The essay also explores the advantages and disadvantages of both sources, concluding that knowledge gained from personal experiences is more relevant, while stressing the importance of integrating both sources for a comprehensive understanding. The student supports the argument with references from various experts and different fields.

Running head: KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM BOOKS
Knowledge Gained From Books
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM BOOKS
Introduction
It is evident that there is a clear difference between learning from own experiences and
leaning from books (Jones and Casulli 2014). In the perspective of philosophers the knowledge
which is obtained from books is informative however, knowledge gained from worldly
experiences is sure to be treasured. Knowledge is divine and it is important to gain adequate
knowledge either from books or experiences (Oleson and Hora 2014). Therefore in this essay the
perspective of Authors towards knowledge gained from both the sources shall be emphasized.
Discussion
It is noteworthy to mention here that books are not always informative and accurate
(Kong 2014). The ideas depicted in them are often complex in nature it makes it difficult for new
readers to understand. This is due to reason that books are written by experienced authors where
the language used is often contradictory which cannot be understood by all (Ruiz, Foguem and
Grabot 2014). However, it is not mandatory to experience everything that has been read
(Durmusoglu et al. 2014). For instance, a person has gained adequate knowledge from academic
books and literature about the Himalayas; he shall not travel to the Himalayas to gain
experiences. His knowledge shall be limited within the ideas contained in the book.
In this regard, the experiences of visiting a real life place can be emphasized. The
information depicted in the travel books provided adequate information (Kong 2014). However,
any person willing to experience those should only rely upon the travel books at the first place.
Those books provided with information that there are various religious and sacred sites to visit in
Maldives however, the people are unwelcoming. However, this is absolutely incorrect the local
people of Maldives are very friendly and approaching. Therefore in some cases the information

2KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM BOOKS
contained in books could be inaccurate as most of them were based on age-old information.
Therefore, personal experience is the best way to gather information.
It is worth mentioning that knowledge gathered from experience remains for lifetime.
Books written by various experts belonging to different fields vary ideas. For instance, an idea
shared by an author regarding a particular subject-matter may differ from other experts which
create confusion in the minds of the readers. Knowledge acquired from academic literatures is
always accepted however gaining knowledge from books shall not form an important part of the
memory for lifetime (Razmerita, Kirchner and Nabeth 2014). It can be emphasized that the
knowledge obtained from personal experiences stays for a long time in the memories.
In recent trends of globalization, the world has become a competitive place to live in.
However, as far as knowledge is concerned it is essential that it should enumerate from both the
sources- books and experiences (Ruiz, Foguem and Grabot 2014). In this regard, it is worth
mentioning that the knowledge which individuals gain from real life experiences can be
preserved for lifetime as it plays an important role in shaping our minds and perspectives
(Razmerita, Kirchner and Nabeth 2014). It can be stated that a book is considered as a reliable
source of information (Oleson and Hora 2014). Therefore, in order to obtain relevant information
it is important to read books daily in order to form a fundamental part of the routine. It is evident
that books serves as an important source of knowledge and one can develop clear idea regarding
the history, cultural background and even socio-political conditions of a country (Fraley and
Hudson 2014). In some cases, authors share their own experiences in the books and therefore by
reading such books individuals are able see the world through the author’s eyes. The detailed
concepts contained in books are enough for a reader to understand the theoretical concepts
(Oleson and Hora 2014). However, in order to understand practical concepts, real life

3KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM BOOKS
experiences are required. Students belonging to various educational backgrounds are benefited
from the concepts depicted in academic books and literatures. In this regard, it is noteworthy to
mention here that students belong to technical background requires the assistance of books and
practical experiences (Van Otterlo 2015). In modern era, books are available in different formats
like e-books, online journals which can be easily accessed by individuals in order to gain
appropriate knowledge (Ruiz, Foguem and Grabot 2014).
Opinion:
According to my point of view, the knowledge that individuals gain from their real life
experiences is valued for lifetime. It is true that the things which we learn and the ideas we
develop are obtained from books (Razmerita, Kirchner and Nabeth 2014). One can learn more
effectively by experiencing the values and ideas of the outside world. A book cannot help an
individual to feel the way he wants to during a particular situation.
In addition, it can be stated that the knowledge which we gather from our experiences by
exploring new things remains with us for a long time. It is impossible on the part of individuals
to forget the memories of their past experiences (Durmusoglu et al. 2014). It is known to all that
real life experiences are mostly memorable and enjoyable which helps to retain the memories of
the past. With the help of such lively experiences individuals are able to learn from different
situations like how to deal with issues during serious crisis. For the purpose of understanding any
concept it is important for the individuals to experience them practically. Different people may
have distinct perspectives about a particular object. However, it is important to understand the
views of different people by practically implementing their ideas. It is important to note here that
with the help of sufficient knowledge, a person shall not be able to gain knowledge about all

4KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM BOOKS
aspects (Van Otterlo 2015). For instance surgery cannot be performed without prior experience
in practical training. Mere knowledge of books shall not assist doctors in performing surgeries.
Since time immemorial, mankind relied on books for gathering knowledge. It can be
significantly noted that people mostly depend upon books for gathering relevant information
while in some cases they prefer real-life experiences to gather knowledge (D'amico 2016). In my
perspective, books can be considered as important secondary sources which help to facilitate
knowledge in individuals to a great extent. However, books cannot replace the importance of life
experiences as the knowledge gained from primary sources is more accurate and relevant
(Ihmeideh 2014).
In spite of various advantages, there are several disadvantages with real-life experiences
as well. For instance, in order to gain knowledge regarding Egyptian pyramids it is important to
gather information by visiting the site. However, it is not always possible to visit each and every
place of interest in order to gather information. Information from books can be gathered within a
short span of time. On the other hand, collecting information from real-life experiences can be
time consuming.
Conclusion
In the conclusion it can be stated knowledge gained from personal experiences appears to
be more relevant as compared to books. This is due to the reason that in some cases the
information depicted in books may appear inaccurate and irrelevant. It is important to mention
here that with experiences the knowledge shall be limited to our own views. With the help of
books individuals will be able to access information about different authors and their
perspectives. Accessing information books are comparatively cheaper than travelling. However it

5KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM BOOKS
is important to gain equal knowledge from both the sources. Books are written by well
experienced subject experts and therefore comparing our real-life experiences with their
perspectives shall provide us in-depth information about the relevant field.

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References:
D'amico, R., 2016. Historicism and knowledge.
Durmusoglu, S., Jacobs, M., Zamantili Nayir, D., Khilji, S. and Wang, X., 2014. The quasi-
moderating role of organizational culture in the relationship between rewards and knowledge
shared and gained. Journal of Knowledge Management, 18(1), pp.19-37.
Fraley, R.C. and Hudson, N.W., 2014. Review of intensive longitudinal methods: an introduction
to diary and experience sampling research.
Ihmeideh, F.M., 2014. The effect of electronic books on enhancing emergent literacy skills of
pre-school children. Computers & Education, 79, pp.40-48.
Jones, M.V. and Casulli, L., 2014. International entrepreneurship: Exploring the logic and utility
of individual experience through comparative reasoning approaches. Entrepreneurship Theory
and Practice, 38(1), pp.45-69.
Kong, S.C., 2014. Developing information literacy and critical thinking skills through domain
knowledge learning in digital classrooms: An experience of practicing flipped classroom
strategy. Computers & Education, 78, pp.160-173.
Oleson, A. and Hora, M.T., 2014. Teaching the way they were taught? Revisiting the sources of
teaching knowledge and the role of prior experience in shaping faculty teaching
practices. Higher Education, 68(1), pp.29-45.
Razmerita, L., Kirchner, K. and Nabeth, T., 2014. Social media in organizations: leveraging
personal and collective knowledge processes. Journal of Organizational Computing and
Electronic Commerce, 24(1), pp.74-93.

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Ruiz, P.P., Foguem, B.K. and Grabot, B., 2014. Generating knowledge in maintenance from
Experience Feedback. Knowledge-Based Systems, 68, pp.4-20.
Van Otterlo, M., 2015. The libraryness of calculative devices. Algorithmic Life: Calculative
Devices in the Age of Big Data, p.35.