por What is empirical knowledge?
He empirical knowledge It is what we obtain directly through our senses or experience, without a scientific method. This way of knowing accompanies us from the first months of life.
For example, a baby who naturally responds to the reflex of squeezing the hand and pulls the mother’s hair, learns from the latter’s almost always negative reaction that it is better not to do so, even if at first she does not understand why.
In empirical knowledge, the causes are not theorized or sought, rather it is a punctual knowledge that passes from generation to generation: if you leave the milk on the fire for too long, it will overflow; disinfecting with 100% alcohol is dangerous, as you can burn yourself; If you are handling electrical installations, it is important to wear rubber shoes to avoid electrocution.
Empirical knowledge is distinguished from mere superstition in that it can be confirmed over and over again, even though the reasons and mechanism behind the observed phenomena are not known.
Characteristics of empirical knowledge
Empirical knowledge is distinguished by four main characteristics:
It is unsystematic
Because it is not obtained as a result of applying a carefully designed methodology, nor part of any hypothesis or theory. Empirical knowledge is the result of repeated experience or chance.
It’s spontaneous
It can be obtained at any time, unexpectedly and spontaneously. Empirical knowledge is not the product of the planning or execution of a well thought out experiment.
It simply arises as a consequence of people’s daily activities.
It’s subjective
It does not use measurement methods, control groups or samples, or any other scientific resource to guarantee objectivity. Empirical knowledge is born from the subjective appreciations of one or several individuals.
If these appreciations are useful to improve some aspect of daily life, then they become part of the knowledge pool of a community.
It sinks its roots in everyday life
The source of empirical knowledge is not found in universities or laboratories, but in the daily lives of people from all parts of the world and with various intellectual abilities and levels of education.
Types of empirical knowledge
There are fundamentally two: the individual and the contingent.
Particular empirical knowledge
It refers to particular and specific cases of reality, but without the guarantee that what has been learned can be applied to the generality of cases.
contingent empirical knowledge
It is the knowledge that grants characteristics to an object, although the same, in the future, may lack them.
Differences between scientific knowledge and empirical knowledge
These are completely opposite ways of obtaining knowledge. In the following table you can see the main differences:
scientific knowledge
empirical knowledge
It is systematic. Employ rigorously designed research methods. These must be followed step by step by researchers, otherwise the research results are considered invalid.
It is unsystematic. It does not apply research methods. The results are considered valid if they are useful to improve some practical aspect of daily life.
It is planned. To be considered scientific, knowledge must be the result of exhaustively justified and planned research, and also carried out according to certain international standards.
It’s spontaneous. It is born as an involuntary consequence of the daily activities of people throughout the world. No methods are applied or experiments are performed.
It is objective. Experimentation and observation are carried out under rigorously controlled conditions, with the purpose of guaranteeing the objectivity of the procedure.
It’s subjective. It is born from the appreciations, observations or personal thoughts of a group of individuals.
It is obtained and transmitted in spaces specially designed for it, such as laboratories, research institutes and universities.
It is obtained in the course of daily life activities and is transmitted orally, from generation to generation and among members of the community.
Examples of empirical knowledge
all things fall
It is experiential knowledge that is learned from an early age. It can be considered empirical, since it is something that we observe in reality.
the sun dazzles
Since we were children we know that looking at the sun dazzles or that it can damage our eyesight. The scientific explanation is not known, but it is something that is learned through experience.
language acquisition
Children learn to talk by listening to their parents and repeating words and phrases. In this learning, grammar or any other theory about the functioning of the language does not intervene. It is an ongoing process of trial and error completed with the support of parents and other adult figures.
Learn to walk
As in the previous case, walking is learned through practice and persistence. Undoubtedly, parents provide valuable help. But this is mostly about motivating and supporting the child, not a rationalized explanation of how to move the legs most effectively.
It is also empirically that the child discovers that at home there are numerous objects that can be hit or tripped over and learns to avoid them.
The dangers of fire and electricity
Although parents warn their children endlessly about the danger of getting burned or receiving an electric shock, in most cases the experience helps to understand the danger of inserting fingers into electrical outlets, approaching the flame of the stove or handle boiling water.
Learn to play video games
Although an instruction manual is included when buying a video game, the truth is that very few people use it, perhaps because they do not understand the language in which it is written or because they are impatient to try the game.
That is why the way to learn to play is usually empirical: we start the game and try options until we discover what we must do and how to achieve it.
Associate foods with flavor types
Through the test is that we know that lemon is sour and sugar sweet, for example, or that a fruit is ripe and ready for consumption.
Play football
The rules of this and any other sport are learned through study. But having a ball at your feet, feeling the desire to make a pass or a shot; testing the difference between kicking it with the ball of your foot and pushing it off with the instep are things that are learned experientially in the schoolyard or park, and honed through practice.
ice floats
Everyone knows that ice floats on water, even if they don’t exactly know the scientific explanation behind the process.
References
(s/f). Discover what empirical knowledge is and what its uses are. Taken from euroinnova.ec.
(s/f). Empirical knowledge. Taken from psychology.fandom.com.
Montagud Rubio, N. (s/f). Empirical knowledge: what it is, characteristics, types and examples. Taken from psicologiaymente.com.
Noor u Deen, A. (2021). Empirical Knowledge Characteristics & Examples. Taken from whatmaster.com.
San Juan, D. (2016). Empirical knowledge. Taken from 0grados.com.