The Form of Knowledge LO25962

From: John Dicus (jdicus@ourfuture.com)
Date: 01/22/01


Replying to LO25961 --

>I suggest we express "know how" not in words but in action. What we can
>express in words may help another person acquire "know how" but it's a
>different thing from the "know how" itself. It may be a map... not the
>territory.

Hello Rick,

I lifted a bit of your wording out of context for reference.

A question: how does "to know" (or "know") compare to "know how?" I think
I follow what you've written, yet somehow have an intuitive nagging inside
that won't let me separate what I "know" from my "know how" that easily
(or cleanly). Does it have to do with "knowing" being unseen (internal)
while "know how" is manifest?

You wrote: "My present tacit knowledge is the 'know how' I cannot
articulate right now." So it seems like maybe you've woven "know
(knowledge)" and "know how" -- tacit and articulated -- to some small
degree?

I'm not sure why your words caused me to write and ask. I say this
because at a tacit level, you apparently triggered some learning and I
haven't seen it (in me) manifested yet -- but I know it's coming.

To articulate and to manifest (the word I picked) may be different. I'm
sure I manifest things I'm at a loss to articulate. So I think my tacit
knowledge (wisdom? understanding?) may manifest when I least expect it and
then leave me wanting to somehow articulate what I just observed. This
happens a lot to me -- where stuff just emerges and I wonder where it came
from (tacit level?) -- than I try and figure out what it means and how it
fits.

Is it important to draw a distinction between "know" and "know how?"

You also asked: "Is tacit knowledge that which hasn't been articulated?
..or knowledge that can never be articulated?" Maybe it's both. Maybe
it's the first time it's surfaced and maybe it's not. Where does the
"knowledge" go when it's not manifest in action, or in the process of
being articulated, or in conscious awareness?

I don't recall whether it was Robert Greenleaf or Peter Vaill (or both)
that drew attention to people who were quite natural in leadership,
relationships, teaching, or whatever it was they did so artfully and
exquisitely. These people most often did not know how they did what they
did. They couldn't teach it -- they just did it. It seems we spend so
much of our time trying to teach things to people (or helping them learn
this or that), and we spend so little time helping the unique capabilities
in each individual "escape" from the tactic catacombs the surface level.

So much for my musing, and thanks for the catalyst.

Warm regards,

John Dicus

-- 
John Dicus  |  CornerStone Consulting Associates
-- Bringing Systems To Life --
2761 Stiegler Road, Valley City, OH 44280
800-773-8017  |  330-725-2728 (2729 fax)
http://www.ourfuture.com  |  mailto:jdicus@ourfuture.com

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