Different Ways of Knowing: A Critical Look at How We Understand the World

We often take for granted how we come to know what we know. (📷:oercommons)

Human societies have long passed knowledge down through generations. From proverbs and rituals to family lore and cultural practices, tradition carries a rich mix of survival tips, social rules and values. Such traditions often evolved through centuries of trial and error and “tuning in” to the local environment[1]. In that sense, tradition can be adaptive – it preserves practical practices (like indigenous farming techniques or herbal remedies) refined over time. But traditions can also become dogma, upheld simply because “that’s how we’ve always done it.”

• Traditional wisdom often encodes vital lessons learned by generations[1]. For example, folk methods for preserving food or finding water usually stem from careful observation over centuries (and often receive later scientific validation).
• Cultural traditions bind communities with shared values[2]. Common rituals (festivals, rites of passage, proverbs) create a shared knowledge base that builds trust and identity. This social “glue” makes group coordination smoother, since everyone learns the same rules and norms.
• Folk wisdom can propagate misinformation[3][4]. Many old “rules” have no factual basis. For example, scientists have debunked the popular five-second rule – bacteria can contaminate dropped food almost instantly[3]. Similarly, researchers define medical folk wisdom as “popular, yet inaccurate” health advice spread by word of mouth[4]. Surveys find nearly all Americans admit believing at least one such folk medical myth[5].
• Tradition often resists change[6][7]. People tend to trust something simply because it’s familiar. Psychologists note that a belief’s popularity doesn’t prove it true[6]. In practice, this means outdated superstitions or customs can linger. In fact, strong adherence to folk beliefs often goes along with scepticism of experts[7], so societies may ignore new evidence if it conflicts with “the way we’ve always done it.”

'Ways of Knowing' ▶️1m36s

Anecdotes and Stories

Stories and personal anecdotes are powerful learning tools. We remember teachers’ examples, news features or social-media stories far more easily than bare facts. Psychologists note that narrative sticks in our memory in ways that data alone do not. In fact, studies show that a statistic is about 20 times more likely to be remembered if it’s part of a story[8]. For example, Jerome Bruner’s research found that facts embedded in a well-told story are recalled exponentially better than facts taught in isolation[8].

• Stories trigger powerful emotional engagement and memory encoding[8]. Vivid anecdotes light up multiple brain regions (visual, auditory, emotional) and even release chemicals that boost learning. In practice, a lesson taught through a captivating example usually sticks far longer. For instance, teaching physics by throwing a ball as an example helps students remember the principle much better than listing equations.
• Well-crafted anecdotes can powerfully persuade and influence[9]. A personal story (like a heartfelt letter from a patient) often shapes attitudes more effectively than statistics. Communication experts observe that “well-designed stories are the most effective vehicle for exerting influence”[9] because listeners empathise with characters. In short, narratives resonate more than plain facts and can subtly reshape opinions and values.
• An individual anecdote is only a single data point[10]. By definition, an anecdote reflects one or a few experiences, which may not represent the whole population. Psychologists warn that we tend to remember dramatic exceptions, not average cases[10]. For example, hearing about one person who smoked daily and lived to 100 might make us underestimate the true risks of smoking. Relying on isolated stories can mislead unless we check them against systematic evidence.
• Emotional storytelling can distort our thinking[10]. A gripping narrative often triggers strong emotions, which can override logic. We might embrace a conclusion because it “feels” right after a sad or inspiring tale. Cognitive studies show this can lead us to see patterns or causes that aren’t justified. For instance, a single dramatic news story can make an entire community fear a very unlikely event, simply because it made them feel urgent – even when statistics say it’s extremely rare.

(📷:empowervmedia)

Trusting Our Gut

Common sense or intuition refers to judgements we feel immediately, without step-by-step reasoning. It’s our brain’s way of using experience and emotion to make a quick decision. Psychologists call these mental shortcuts heuristics. Neuroscience describes intuition as unconscious pattern-recognition: our brain can synthesise past experiences to reach conclusions often before we are even aware of them[11]. Intuition is like knowing without knowing.

• Intuition provides lightning-fast, practical decision-making[11]. In daily life and emergencies, we often rely on our gut. For example, an experienced firefighter smelling smoke might instinctively order an evacuation – a split-second pattern match from years of training. In routine matters (like intuiting whether someone’s tone is sincere), our subconscious “first impressions” usually serve us well.
• Intuition is subject to cognitive bias and error[12]. Quick guesses are efficient but not infallible. Psychologists emphasise that heuristics “are not always right or the most accurate”[12]. For example, after hearing of a plane crash on the news, common sense might urge that flying is dangerous, even though statistics show driving is riskier (an availability bias). Intuition may mislead us in unusual situations or when we focus on vivid examples instead of real probabilities.
• “Common sense” often depends on context and culture[6]. What feels obvious to you might surprise someone from a different background. Studies show people tend to assume their own norms are universal. A simple rule (like always locking a door at night) can be second nature to one family but unheard-of in another culture. Recognising this reminds us that an intuition can be culturally learned, not absolute.
• Relying on intuition alone can breed overconfidence[13]. Trusting our gut can make us sure we’re right. Yet research shows that even a slight pause often improves decisions. In fact, cognitive studies find that delaying a snap decision by even a fraction of a second often catches mistakes our first guess makes[13b].

Science, Scepticism, and Synthesis

Each way of knowing has value and blind spots. Philosophy reminds us that testimony (from elders or stories) can be true or false – but unlike scientific observations, it hasn’t been systematically tested[14][12]. Intuitions might be right or biased. The key is to use each as a clue, not a conclusion.

Science exemplifies this balance. A hypothesis might spring from an intuition, tradition or anecdote – but it’s only accepted after rigorous testing. One researcher explains that scientists use intuition and authority to generate ideas, then "go a step further by using systematic empiricism to make careful observations... and use rationalism to arrive at valid conclusions"[15]. In other words, science formalises our human ways of knowing by insisting on evidence. Scientists might start with a hunch, but they systematically test it under controlled conditions to see if it holds up.

Powerful examples

• Myth vs. data: We once believed the common warning that cracking knuckles causes arthritis – everyone said so! Yet Harvard research finds no link between knuckle-cracking and arthritis[16]. This showed us that even very popular folk advice needs checking.
• Anecdote vs. population: A friend’s inspiring story of conquering her anxiety convinced someone that sheer willpower was enough. Later they learned the friend's case was exceptional – most phobias require structured therapy or gradual exposure. The emotional story moved them, but it was a single example, not a general rule.
• Tradition and truth: Conversely, some cherish family traditions (e.g., a grandmother’s way of pickling cabbage that turned out to be scientifically savvy for promoting healthy gut bacteria). Here folklore happened to align with modern research, reminding us that some ancestral wisdom can capture real insights.

Human societies have long passed knowledge down through generations. (📷:vecteezy)

Tradition, stories and intuition each illuminate the world in their own way, but none is foolproof. Recognising how we use them – and where they can mislead – makes us wiser thinkers and communicators. By blending empathy and evidence, asking “Why do I believe this?” and sharing information in clear, human terms, we build trust and understanding. Understanding not just what we know but how we know it leads to more thoughtful, impactful conversations. 

⭐⭐⭐

[1] Why Preserve the Wisdom of Indigenous People? | Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/path-optimal-living/201805/why-preserve-the-wisdom-indigenous-people
[2] Societal Learning and the Erosion of Collective Memory: a critique of the Club of Rome Report
https://www.laetusinpraesens.org/pdfs/1984_2.pdf
[3] Rutgers Researchers Debunk ‘Five-Second Rule’: Eating Food off the Floor Isn’t Safe | Rutgers University
https://www.rutgers.edu/news/rutgers-researchers-debunk-five-second-rule-eating-food-floor-isnt-safe
[4] [5] [7] The pervasiveness and policy consequences of medical folk wisdom in the U.S. | Scientific Reports
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-67744-6?error=cookies_not_supported&code=f5d05ee2-66f4-4b58-b226-87f63aab3363
[6] [13] The Problem With Common Sense | Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thoughts-on-thinking/202309/the-problem-with-common-sense
[8] [9] What Makes Storytelling So Effective For Learning? - Harvard Business Impact
https://www.harvardbusiness.org/insight/what-makes-storytelling-so-effective-for-learning/
[10] [14] Anecdotal evidence - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidence
[11] The Neuroscience of Intuition: How Do We Know Without Knowing? | Neuroba
https://www.neuroba.com/post/the-neuroscience-of-intuition-how-do-we-know-without-knowing-neuroba
[12] Heuristic (psychology) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic_(psychology)
[13b]  Humans Optimize Decision-Making by Delaying Decision
Onset | PLoS One. 2014 Mar 5;9(3):e89638.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3943733/pdf/pone.0089638.pdf
[15] 1.1 Methods of Knowing – Research Methods in Psychology 
https://opentext.wsu.edu/carriecuttler/chapter/methods-of-knowing/
[16] Does cracking knuckles cause arthritis? - Harvard Health
https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/does-cracking-knuckles-cause-arthritis