The 7 Differences Between Vulgar Knowledge And Scientific Knowledge

There are many forms of knowledge, sometimes very different. One of the clearest divergences is that between the vulgar and the scientific.

We will see what characterizes each of these forms of them and what they are. the differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge and in what contexts they are usually learned and used.

Vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge: definitions

In order to assess the main differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge, we must first understand what each of these forms of knowledge consists of. Focusing first on vulgar knowledge, we must know that its technical name is empirical knowledge, since it is knowledge based merely on the personal experiences of the person who possesses it.

Vulgar knowledge tries to explain the qualities of the world in which we live through sense perception , that is, in a superficial way. This way of acquiring information has two fundamental characteristics. First of all, we are talking about very particular knowledge for a specific event, which therefore we cannot generalize to other situations or different objects.

The second characteristic is that there is a contingency to the element and the specific moment. In that sense, we cannot guarantee that a situation, no matter how much it has been repeated in the past, will happen in the same way in the future, since it escapes this way of knowing and therefore represents one of the differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge.

We must not fall into the error of considering vulgar knowledge as false or negative It is the first form of knowledge that human beings can acquire and from which they subsequently develop the others. It is generated in a random way, due to the presentation of different events in front of us, but it is also what, in a practical way, allows us to learn to function in everyday situations.

Regarding scientific knowledge, in its definition we find that it is based on verifiable facts and that therefore they can be contrasted to explain a certain theory of the science. This type of knowledge is generally collected through the scientific method. Furthermore, this form of knowledge admits a classification into two types.

On the one hand, we would have explicit knowledge, which is what allows all that information to be captured on a medium and transmitted to other people, so that other individuals can also acquire it. But the so-called tacit knowledge would also be scientific knowledge. It is about knowledge that is part of the person as a skill developed for a task in question, whether of a technical, artisanal or scientific nature.

We see that simply with the definitions of both concepts we can already see differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge.

The main differences between scientific knowledge and vulgar knowledge

Once we have laid the foundations of both concepts, we can investigate the main differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge. To do this we will explore different categories in which divergences are observed.

1. What is the objective

The very objective of vulgar knowledge is none other than to have a minimum understanding of events in the world to be able to interact with it in an appropriate way

On the contrary, scientific knowledge implies a deep understanding, finding the reason for an event, supported by data that is available to everyone, to be able to replicate the experience whenever necessary.

Here arises one of the most important qualities of scientific knowledge, and that is that allows third parties, who had nothing to do with the original acquisition of said knowledge, to assimilate it also and therefore achieve an understanding of concepts that were far removed from his own personal experience.

2. How knowledge is acquired

Continuing with the differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge, another variable to compare would be the way in which the knowledge in question has been acquired. Therefore, Vulgar knowledge is acquired by perceiving a certain object or phenomenon that is presented to the subject in a random way In the case of scientific knowledge, this acquisition comes from deep and deliberate observation.

The scientist tries to get to the origin of the phenomenon to find its basis and thus be able to explain it and, above all, predict it in the future, extrapolating it to other family situations. Furthermore, as we have seen, this knowledge may be transmitted to other people who have not necessarily had direct contact with the object of study.

3. Form of observation

Although this point is somehow mentioned in the previous section, its importance requires further investigation. The key to observation in order to acquire scientific knowledge is that it must be systematic The event is analyzed in depth, without altering it during this process.

However, when we talk about vulgar or popular knowledge, the observation made by the person who is acquiring it is simply superficial. It collects the observed phenomenon and integrates it as a pattern that occurs in the perceived way, without investigating the underlying complexity and therefore without being interested in the causes that cause that event to have happened specifically in that way and not in a different way.

4. Depth level

The next on the list of differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge has to do with the level of depth reached by the knowledge in question. In the case of vulgar knowledge, we would be talking about a very superficial level, just enough to assimilate the pattern of the event witnessed, without investigating further. Information is acquired in a static, passive way. The observer simply encounters the phenomenon.

Instead, scientific knowledge implies a high level of depth The observer is an active part of the process, analyzing the underlying bases to find the exact information he needs that will allow him to find the explanation of the event in order to explain it and make predictions in the future.

5. Knowledge base

One of the most important differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge has to do with their basis. When we talk about scientific knowledge, it is evident that the basis is rationality, since the logical explanation that hides the phenomenon being studied is sought.

However, vulgar knowledge has a basically sensitive, empirical basis What we see is what has happened, without more. There is no need to understand why, the usefulness is not in the understanding, only in the mere knowledge of the event that happened. That is why the first is only descriptive, while the latter involves the preparation of statements and theories that will be verified through analysis.

6. Correction level

Continuing with the differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge, we must not forget the level of correctness or certainty that each implies. In the case of vulgar knowledge, we have no guarantee that the beliefs generated by the person are correct since they are based on their personal experience, at a specific moment.

On the contrary, scientific knowledge is based on verified and therefore correct data. This type of knowledge corrects itself as the scientific observer is generating it, since it constantly seeks the scheme that can fully explain the phenomenon collected and can also predict its behavior in the future, so it is not only valid for that specific moment.

7. Systematicity

Finally, we can distinguish these two forms of knowledge based on their systematicity. In that sense, we verify that scientific knowledge is systematic, that is, it follows a system and therefore some rules and a certain order. Furthermore, this quality gives it the ability to serve as a basis for generating other different scientific knowledge, progressively increasing its complexity.

In the case of vulgar knowledge, we do not find this systematicity As we have already seen, this knowledge is generated automatically because an observer randomly encounters any phenomenon and collects the information through the senses. There is no defined system behind it, simply the person’s perception.

This would be the last in the list of differences between vulgar knowledge and scientific knowledge that we have compiled to learn to easily distinguish these two forms of knowledge, thus understanding the importance of both and the usefulness that each one has.