Knowledge & value-  Value knowledge: It’s easy to value property, possessions or other visible forms of wealth. It’s easy also to value other tangible things such as signs of power: impressive biceps or physiques, or even automatic guns or giant canons. It takes a deeper understanding to appreciate intangible resources such as knowledge. Historically speaking, civilizations that have conquered widely have valued power and wealth, whereas civilizations that have sustained for long and have been influential for long have valued knowledge.  

Have knowledge of values: While any kind of knowledge can be valuable, some forms of knowledge are far more valuable than others — for example, knowledge of values is more important than knowledge of skills. Knowing how to use a gun is important for law enforcement officials, but knowing when to use a gun and when not to is even more important. Knowledge of values provides a map for the constructive use of knowledge of skills. 

Have knowledge in the form of values: Knowing that values are important doesn’t necessarily mean that people with that knowledge will act according to those values. For knowledge to be truly beneficial, it needs to be internalized in the form of values. A good soldier is not just one who is a sharpshooter, but also has both courage and self-restraint: the courage to enter dangerous situations when necessary for protecting the innocent and the self- restraint to use negotiation and other forms of resolving issues without presuming that those doing wrong are evil or incorrigible

Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita describes knowledge in the form of virtues (13.08-12). And it demonstrates the prioritization of this form of knowledge by providing Arjuna the knowledge of values that enabled him to use his archery expertise effectively. 

One-sentence summary: 

To value knowledge is good, to have knowledge of values is better, to have knowledge in the form of values is the best 

Think it over:

  • Why is valuing knowledge good?
  • Why is having knowledge of values better?
  • Why is having knowledge in the form of values the best?

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13.12: Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.

Knowledge & values

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