Knowledge, Power and Control
In this paper, I propose to examine some of the issues that arise as a result of the relationship between knowledge and power, and specifically those that concern who should control knowledge and disseminate it in society. This subject is discussed in the writings of Plato and is also commented on by such medieval thinkers as Averroes (Ibn Rushd), Moses Maimonides and St. Thomas Aquinas from the Islamic, Jewish and Christian traditions respectively and their views will be briefly outlined here. Despite the religious, historical and cultural differences which distinguish their approaches from one another, what is remarkable is the similarity in the conclusions that they reach about how noetic power and control is acquired and exercised. They all insist that knowledge should be made selectively available to certain individuals and groups according to noetic ability and social position in the context of the envisaged socio-political model of community that is in operation. Knowledge is perceived as a conserving influence on individual and political life, to be transmitted preferably in an essentially unaltered state in order to maintain sustain the desired socio-cultural value system and power structure. The emphasis is on respect for tradition and for the origins and status of the noetic content to be transmitted through the expertise of those delegated to act as transmitting agents. The content of knowledge is frequently portrayed as mysterious and mystifying, only capable of proper interpretation by appointed specialists. The role of teaching is consequently important since the teacher is the community's appointed expert for disseminating knowledge, as and when appropriate, according to the receptive abilities of those who learn.
This epistemological approach appears to be in sharp contrast to the contemporary view of someone like Paulo Freire who insists that knowledge must be democratically available to everyone in order to politically transform society transformation through social justice.(1) This aim is achieved when the noetic process becomes a critical reading of reality, a reflection in action which is applied so that traditional ways of thinking constitute a permanent subject for reinterpretation. Knowledge is perceived in Freirean epistemology as a medium of communication between human beings, a process in which there is no permanently unaltered noetic data but rather an ongoing dialectic strategically pursued through contradiction and constantly aimed at radically redefining how people can coexist in a state of social equality. According to this view, knowledge offers everyone the possibility to think more critically about the world so as to act on it in a more humanising way.
The free dictionary online defines knowledge as “an awareness, consciousness, or familiarity gained by experience or learning”. Power, on the other hand, means “the ability or official capacity of a person, group or nation to exercise great influence or control and authority over others”. In Voltaire’s “Candide”, Goethe’s “Faust”, and Shelley’s Frankenstein, the quest for more knowledge and power sets the stage for the story yet the characters, Candide, Frankenstein, and Faust remain unhappy after acquiring the much desired knowledge and power. It can be said, therefore, that knowledge, and even money, often times twists and corrupts the mind because of the control (power) it gives people over others.
A longstanding debate in human history is what to do with power and what is the best way to rule. Who should have power, how should one rule, and what its purpose should government serve have always been questions at the fore in civilization, and more than once have sparked controversy and conflict. The essential elements of rule have placed the human need for order and structure against the human desire for freedom, and compromising between the two has never been easy. It is a question that is still considered and argued to this day. However, the argument has not rested solely with military powers or politicians, but philosophers as well. Two prominent voices in this debate are Plato and Machiavelli, both of whom had very different ideas of government's role in the lives of its people. For Plato, the essential service of government is to allow its citizens to live in their proper places and to do the things that they are best at. In short, Plato's government reinforces the need for order while giving the illusion of freedom. On the other hand, Machiavelli proposes that government's primary concern is to remain intact, thereby preserving stability for the people who live under it. The feature that both philosophers share is that they attempt to compromise between stability and freedom, and in the process admit that neither can be totally had.
Before any argument can be made against racial profiling, it is important to understand what racial profiling is. The American Civil Liberties Union, defines racial profiling as "the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin"(Racial Profiling: Definition). Using this definition we can determine that racial profiling excludes any evidence of wrong-doing and relies solely on the characteristics listed above. We can also see that racial profiling is different from criminal profiling, which uses evidence of wrong-doing and facts which can include information obtained from outside sources and evidence gathered from investigation. Based on these definitions, I will show that racial profiling is unfair and ineffective because it relies on stereotyping, encourages discrimination, and in many cases can be circumvented.
Racial profiling has been a common controversy between law enforcement and communities, specifically those of a minority population. This activity has been ultimately allowed by federal and state governments as they benefit from the aid in pinpointing or otherwise targeting criminals or illegal aliens. Furthermore, racial profiling has become more of a commonly encountered practice especially after the September 11 attacks.
There is a strong agreement among American society that violence in the country is on the rise. It is easy to see why this is a strong argument among the American people, especially because of the rising popularity of violent video games and television programs. However, as these violent video games and television shows are creating their own place in our society, the reports of violence among children are escalating. This correlation has been studied extensively in the scientific community in an attempt to discover whether media violence does negatively impact children but there has yet to be a consensus. There is a split between those that believe that children are becoming more violent because they are exposed to violent media and those that believe that correlation is not causation, who argue that media violence does not have any notable effect the youth.
...osyncratic individualities and to normalize knowers and knowledge. Epistemology of particular knowledge demands consideration to distinctions and codify for admittance and for examination the perspicacity of knowers. Once knowledge is comprehended as being distinctive to and established by the knower, it surrenders its standing and converts to plural. This leads to the knowers’ comprehension distinct to themselves. While also an individuals knowledge develops the epistemological substance that produce an bionetwork of knowing which notifies and incorporates social groups, organizations and associations. When accepting comprehensively and bearing in mind the interconnection of knowers, the grander epistemological network is a societal or epistemological illusory. One that recommends the parameters of how it can be known, what can be known, and what becomes knowledge.
To begin, what society is often blindsided by is that racial profiling is real, and is used in unfair manners by police officials. According to the article, “Jim Crow Policing” published on The New York Times,
"Knowledge is power only if the man knows what facts not to bother with" (Robert Staugton Lynd). In the novel, “All The King’s Men”, written by Robert Penn Warren, teaches the readers the power of knowledge and how it can affect people's lives. As he states, “The end of man is knowledge…”(9), he exhibits that knowledge is power. Jack Burden, private investigator that consists of searching dirt on other politicians, believes that knowledge can easily tear apart one's life. Through out the novel, Jack Burden, the main character, grapples the potency of his knowledge.
I also believe that it violates the rights of people. Racial profiling continues to have civil penalties and consent orders for many law enforcement agencies. Racial profiling also continues to receive worldwide attention that has raised many questions about the police agencies and what is being done. I believe not only is my research paper about police agencies receiving lawsuits but the effects that it can have and what are the solutions to trying to eliminate it all together.
Racial profiling can take on physical, psychological, and behavioral characteristics. I can happen almost anywhere; it can happen while you are applying for a job, shopping at the grocery store, or while traveling. If you are hispanic, african, from the middle east or german you are considered a “minority” in america. If you are a minority you or a family member probably been a victim of racial profiling. It may not be fair in your eyes but in others its justice; thats why the government needs to put a stop to this controversy and racist actions. (Holbert and Rose
The case had some details that were beneficial and detrimental to the businesses. The details were that if a message needed to be traced, it was not going to happen because the process of legal discovery that was used on email communication could not be used the same way. With that in mind, employers raised concerns about how the businesses were vulnerable to unethical improper communication and behavior by the individuals and Confide suppressed them. The common issues that were triggered from the usage of Confide in the workplace could have been discrimination, sexual harassment, and insider trading of information. The benefits of Confide was that the application interface made it difficult for the messages to become unconfident...
Some theorists believe that ‘power is everywhere: not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere… power is not an institution, nor a structure, nor possession. It is the name we give to a complex strategic situation in a particular society. (Foucault, 1990: 93) This is because power is present in each individual and in every relationship. It is defined as the ability of a group to get another group to take some form of desired action, usually by consensual power and sometimes by force. (Holmes, Hughes &Julian, 2007) There have been a number of differing views on ‘power over’ the many years in which it has been studied. Theorist such as Anthony Gidden in his works on structuration theory attempts to integrate basic structural analyses and agency-centred traditions. According to this, people are free to act, but they must also use and replicate fundamental structures of power by and through their own actions. Power is wielded and maintained by how one ‘makes a difference’ and based on their decisions and actions, if one fails to exercise power, that is to ‘make a difference’ then power is lost. (Giddens: 1984: 14) However, more recent theorists have revisited older conceptions including the power one has over another and within the decision-making processes, and power, as the ability to set specific, wanted agendas. To put it simply, power is the ability to get others to do something they wouldn’t otherwise do. In the political arena, therefore, power is the ability to make or influence decisions that other people are bound by.
The difference in power ranges from kings and presidents to the slaves in this world. The power and rank of people would be decided by strength, combat skills, and overall physicality in most places, but over the years this had slowly changed and has since became less about the physically strongest one in the group to the smartest or most tactical. Strength is still important in the world, but the roles that leaders focus more on being wise, smart, and tactical all while inspiring strength from others as well as demonstrate it themselves. These leaders control the people beneath them in rank because their intelligence or knowledge. Knowledge gives people, of any type, strength and power maybe not physical strength, but a mental strength over others. This knowledge gives people control over others with less knowledge.
Socrates once said “To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.”(Citation ) The study of knowledge is something philosophers have been conducting from the creation of philosophy. In fact knowledge is one of the perennial topics of philosophy, just as nature of matter in the physical sciences. The discipline of knowledge is known as epistemology(Greek meaning of knowledge and reason). Epistemology is literally defined as means to reason about knowledge, to think about knowledge and to examine knowledge so that we may better ourselves. Philosophers who study knowledge attempt to study what makes up knowledge, the kinds of things one can know, what the limits of knowledge and above all, the age long question
Question 3: “imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there will ever be to know and understand “(Albert Einstein) Do you agree?