Leobelo Jofel Delicana June 14, 2013

AB Philosophy IV Epistemology
Knowing
Humans have been curious about his origin. Man would search for his origin. With the
capacity of science it can only provide evidences that are subject to human observation and
analysis. Of course, man would observe, and at the same time man would think. Can we say that
the product of this observation and analysis can now be considered knowledge? Before
everything else, maybe we could ask the question: How does man know? After this question
we come to realize that this is intertwined with the question, Is knowledge possible? Then
again another question comes, What is knowledge?
To be curious and to ask about something is an inherent feature of the fascinating human
mind. According to Socrates, it is with wonder that philosophy was given birth. When man
became inquisitive about answers to the questions that surrounds him, man may had been
unconsciously seeing the world with two lenses- the senses and the mind. That is how man
would know the origin of life on earth. Then we come to realize, if that is how man knows the
origin of the world, it would mean that there is really a thing such as knowledge. This knowledge
is the product of knowing. So if knowing the origin of life is knowledge, it must be something
true and in accordance to reality. In Zagzebskis book entitled on Epistemology she said that one
feature of knowledge that everyone virtually accepts is that- it is a state that puts us in contact
with reality. This definition clarifies that to know about the origin of life is knowledge for it puts
us in contact with reality. Thus, what man can verify from reality with the use of the mind and
the senses can be considered knowledge. Thus, the origin of life is in this sense philosophically
important.
Furthermore, knowing the origin of life is important in the realm of philosophy for it
would not only bring us to ask about the what, when and where but it would also bring us
the questions why? and how?As a human person, it came to my mind the question, With
very simple life forms on earth before, how did the world create complex life such as humans
who are capable of rationalizing, thinking and knowing? Coming to think of it, the origin of life
is important in the realm of philosophy for it will cover areas where philosophy searches for
answers about man and his mind. Needless to say, epistemology as a branch of philosophy
which is the study of knowing, and other desirable ways of believing and attempting to find the
truth (Zagzebski 2009) needs the origin of life for its course. To be more specific, man as the
only creature capable of philosophizing traces its origins to the first and simplest life forms of
this earth. It is yet certain what form of life that may be but it is certain that there is that
something from which complex life forms such as humans have originated.
Lastly, it is in reality that knowledge is present. Philosophically speaking, all life forms
on earth comprise what we call reality. If we really want to ask about the beginnings or origins of
all living things that are of this time it is arguably possible that we can trace our origins to only
one kind of organism. Furthermore, life forms on earth can be related because it is evident that
there is something similar to each and every living thing- life. We may say that there are degrees
or levels of life forms but we cannot deny the fact that there is life. Then again we may ask, is it
subject to knowledge? Can we really know these things? As for me, I believe that the fascinating
human mind will be able to find more answers. As long as the mind rationalizes and thinks, and
that the senses are sensing, man and this world will be able to know.