“The Value of Understanding”

Abstract

Over the last several years a number of leading philosophers -including Catherine Elgin, Linda Zagzebski, Jonathan Kvanvig, and Duncan Pritchard -have grown increasingly dissatisfied with the contemporary focus on knowledge in epistemology and have attempted to ''recover'' the notion of understanding. According to some of these philosophers, in fact, understanding deserves not just to be recovered, but to supplant knowledge as the focus of epistemological inquiry. This entry considers some of the main reasons why philosophers have taken understanding to be more valuable than knowledge, focusing on claims that it is more transparent, that it better reflects or mirrors the world, and that it is a greater intellectual achievement.

Understanding Why

“…Kitcher (), Woodward (, p. 179), Lipton (, p. 30) Grimm (, ) and Khalifa () argue that understanding is a kind of knowledge. Zagzebski (), Kvanvig (), Pritchard (, ) and Newman () argue that it is distinct, but on different grounds.…”

The diverse aims of science

“…For Grimm (2012), you cannot have objective understanding without possessing truth (though in his view this is not understanding's full epistemic value). In contrast, Elgin (2004) suggests that understanding may be furthered by some departures from the truth.…”

“…A felt sense of understanding is not sufficient for the possession of understanding; understanding requires successful mastery, in some sense, of the target of understanding. Both Grimm (2010Grimm ( , 2012 and Strevens (2013) describe this mastery as a form of grasping. As Grimm (2012) stresses, "grasping" is a success term.…”

“…Both Grimm (2010Grimm ( , 2012 and Strevens (2013) describe this mastery as a form of grasping. As Grimm (2012) stresses, "grasping" is a success term. And so, "the mind of someone who understands mirrors or reflects reality" (Grimm, 2012, p.109).…”

Compreensão empática e as possíveis contribuições para a pesquisa nos estudos organizacionais: reflexões a partir da experiência do lado estético das organizações

“…Alguns autores (p. ex., ABEL, 1948;GRIMM, 2012;MUNCH, 1957;WIERZBICKA, 2012) esboçaram posicionamentos em relação à teoria da compreensão. Por outro lado, o método da compreensão empática parece ter tido seu significado esquecido (RINGER, 2004).…”