Knowledge is the facts or information man learned through experience, contemplating or studying others’ experience; it is the theoretical or practical understanding of a topic. It is the total information, facts, experience gained through life, reading or discussion. Knowledge is more general word than “science”.
Thinkers have different opinions about good and evil knowledge. Some think that there is good knowledge that builds man’s life while some knowledge brings evilness to his life. However, this depends on the way man uses his own knowledge. Science is not evil; however humans may use it in an evil way. Dynamite was originally invented to be a safer alternative to gun powder and nitroglycerin. It was mainly used in the mining, quarrying, construction, and demolition industries. However, misusing it led to death of many people. Thus, man’s knowledge should be used for good purposes and for God’s reward or vice versa.
Knowledge has enemies. One of them is illusion of knowledge. Whereas when one realizes that there is still a lot to learn, he takes the first step toward knowledge. However, if man has the illusion that he knows it all, he will never search for the right information as he already thinks that he has it.
Therefore, man should search and examine the details of any matter even if you know all the details about a specific subject, those information may change over time.
When one gives information about any topic, he should be sure of what he is saying as maybe his wrong information mislead someone or causes his destruction. “Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.” – George Bernard Shaw. It is a terrible to pretend you have information about a matter while in fact you know nothing about it. This leads to misleading people.
This may resemble a man who is traveling in a road he doesn’t know and he asks for a guide to help him and when he meets the guide, he gives him false information leads to misleading him and vice versa. Thus, be careful when you are providing information, you should be totally sure of it lest you mislead others.
It is also said that “Science may set limits to knowledge, but should not set limits to imagination”. Imagination is the fuel of science progress. If human life was limited by the acquainted knowledge of current present, man would never achieve any progress or seeks to attain his dreams, gain more knowledge or discover inventions that improve quality of human life.
Had man not dream of flying like birds, speaking to others afar, helping visually-impaired to read and learn or alleviate human pain; life would have been void of all the current invention and discoveries that aimed for man’s good and prosperity.
Thus, we should realize that human inventions should be for good purposes. Knowledge is God’s gift and it should be for your good not for condemning you before Him.
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
