do you think it's possible for someone to know too much (too much knowledge)

[ihavefoundgod951]

Sometimes I think I know too much,

I love to learn, I really enjoy learning, which is weird because I used to hate learning at school (I rarely used to go to school)(once in a blue moon)

I have a real hunger for knowledge

I have accumulated a ridiculous amount of knowledge inbetween my ears.
It can be abit annoying for others, so I try to tone it down around people, I hold back from answering questions or from admitting I know something (sad I know) but as the old saying goes "no body likes a know it all"


sometimes I know stuff and I have no idea where I learned about it (freaky)

Anyways long story short, sometimes I think I know too much (if I was in a gangster movie I would be swimming with the fishies) (for knowing too much lol)

This leads me to my question-

Do you think it is possible for a human to know too much, is it possible to know too much?

Any of you know where I am coming from.

 

[JimmyNeutron]

This is an interesting question. I also love knowledge and spend much time philosophizing and learning. I know what you mean about not letting on that you know as much as you do. For me it's that people don't like when I 'show them up', as it were, by quickly forming logical arguments during a discussion about which they were sure they were correct. But what do you mean by 'too much knowledge'? Too much for what exactly?

 

[ihavefoundgod951]

This is an interesting question. I also love knowledge and spend much time philosophizing and learning. I know what you mean about not letting on that you know as much as you do. For me it's that people don't like when I 'show them up', as it were, by quickly forming logical arguments during a discussion about which they were sure they were correct. But what do you mean by 'too much knowledge'? Too much for what exactly?

I have similar experience of making people feel degraded in discussions, (I have learned the hard way that I need to tone it down around certain types of people) people don't like to be proven wrong, it can make folks emotional.

(I need constant mental stimulation ALL THE TIME)


What I mean by my question, can you gain a unhealthy amount of knowledge, does they come a point where you have gone a step too far?

 

[ihavefoundgod951]

I will put it like this, like a harddrive on a computer, you can only store so much data (memory) on it before your harddrive becomes full.
Is the brain the same? Or has it got a unlimited capacity?
Logic says no, but some things are not logical.

 

[FireDragon76]

"With great wisdom comes great grief"

That's either Proverbs or Ecclessiastes.

 

[Paradoxum]

I don't think it's possible to have too much knowledge. Why would it be?

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

I don't think it's possible to have too much knowledge. Why would it be?

I guess that you could go the route of Peter Zapffe and say that humanity in general has too much knowledge. Most animals aren't able to understand the fact that they're going to die, after all, and I'm sure that most of us have had a moment when we've found that idea deeply troubling. For religious people, it might be distressing because of the perceived non-negligible possibility of going to Hell (or being reincarnated badly, annihilated, etc.). Other than that, we're just able to really worry about and dwell on the future in general. Animals can be nervous or anxious about things, but with a few exceptions (like if they've been through an extremely traumatic experience), they're easily distracted. Not so much with human beings.

 

[dysert]

Just a reminder from 1 Cor. 8:1 -> "We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."

Apparently having a lot of knowledge is like having a lot of money. It can alter your priorities in the wrong way, produce a prideful attitude, and probably other nasty things. That said, I too have a thirst to know things. I guess, like with money, if you can maintain your perspective you'll be doing ok.

 

[Paradoxum]

I guess that you could go the route of Peter Zapffe and say that humanity in general has too much knowledge. Most animals aren't able to understand the fact that they're going to die, after all, and I'm sure that most of us have had a moment when we've found that idea deeply troubling. For religious people, it might be distressing because of the perceived non-negligible possibility of going to Hell (or being reincarnated badly, annihilated, etc.). Other than that, we're just able to really worry about and dwell on the future in general. Animals can be nervous or anxious about things, but with a few exceptions (like if they've been through an extremely traumatic experience), they're easily distracted. Not so much with human beings.

Animals also don't have medicine or a welfare system, so they are more likely to die horribly earlier.

I have no problem with predicting the future. It isn't that bad. In fact I'm glad I know I will die. So I see no reason to think we have too much knowledge.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

Animals also don't have medicine or a welfare system, so they are more likely to die horribly earlier.

I have no problem with predicting the future. It isn't that bad. In fact I'm glad I know I will die. So I see no reason to think we have too much knowledge.

For some reason that I can't explain right now, I was thinking more in terms of larger or predatory animals (bears, elephants, water buffalo, etc.) with long average life spans that don't have to be constantly in fear of predators. In retrospect, smaller animals probably live lives that are absolutely full of terror, so I definitely get your point.

With larger animals, though, even though they are more likely to die or suffer greatly at any given moment, they aren't really aware of the possibility until it happens. While that's worse from a utilitarian standpoint since they can't really avoid pain as effectively if they don't know that it's coming, it's probably better subjectively.

I guess how much existential anxiety bothers a person can vary from individual to individual, too. In a sense I guess I'm glad to know that I need to try to enjoy my life on its own terms (that's something that I definitely lacked when I was more religious). I'm only 22, so the idea of death rarely bothers me. The main point is that, when I'm hopefully very elderly and find out that I don't have very long to live, I know that it will bother me greatly then.

 

[bhsmte]

Why in the world would it be a negative to have more knowledge?

And, I am always a little bit leery, of anyone claiming they have too much knowledge and more knowledge than most other people.

 

[FireDragon76]

Our brains are hardwired to learn about the environment, to attempt to control it, so that our genes propagate... but the reality is that we are not in control: we still become subject to sickness, old age, and mortality. But with that attempt at control, the attachment to life, comes a great deal of worry and anxiety in its own right.

 

[Gladius]

Can't believe no-one has yet quoted "Ignorance is Bliss".

It appears a constant of human history that those who are the most learned, the most intelligent, the most inquiring, are also often the loneliest and sometimes outright persecuted.

My own opinion is because it is human instinct to resist change, and those who would seek knowledge eventually argue for change to accepted understandings of the universe.

I don't believe that 'too much knowledge' is the problem. It is how one behaves in the world with their knowledge that is the main influence on their life experiences.

 

[Paradoxum]

For some reason that I can't explain right now, I was thinking more in terms of larger or predatory animals (bears, elephants, water buffalo, etc.) with long average life spans that don't have to be constantly in fear of predators. In retrospect, smaller animals probably live lives that are absolutely full of terror, so I definitely get your point.

With larger animals, though, even though they are more likely to die or suffer greatly at any given moment, they aren't really aware of the possibility until it happens. While that's worse from a utilitarian standpoint since they can't really avoid pain as effectively if they don't know that it's coming, it's probably better subjectively.

I'd think animals like elephants (and maybe dolphins) might have decent likes... but then they are highly intelligent social animals like us, so I would think that. They may even be able to understand death to some extent anyway.

I don't think it would be subjectively better though. We normally always have food, water, shelter, and protective clothing from the elements. We can have closer connections with people because we have language, we have entertainment and alcohol to remove stress from us sometimes. If we have slight pains, we have painkillers. If we get sick, we have medicine.

I don't see how an elephants could be better. Does grass really give them more pleasure that our favourite foods give us? I'd think our pleasures would be similar or better, and our pains can be alleviated.

Anxiety may be an at added problem, but I doubt it's such a crippling problem for most people most of the time. A small to moderate negative in the grand scheme of things.

I guess how much existential anxiety bothers a person can vary from individual to individual, too. In a sense I guess I'm glad to know that I need to try to enjoy my life on its own terms (that's something that I definitely lacked when I was more religious). I'm only 22, so the idea of death rarely bothers me. The main point is that, when I'm hopefully very elderly and find out that I don't have very long to live, I know that it will bother me greatly then.

I'm the same. I'm just 23, so my main problem is with dying young, rather than dying. I don't know how I'll feel when I'm hopefully old. I hope I'll be able to look back and think I did most of the things with my life that I wanted to. So while it might be sad, maybe it wont bother me so much.

But maybe it will. It's hard to predict, but I don't think all old people fear death alot. I would still rather live a human life though.

 

[FireDragon76]

Anxiety may be an at added problem, but I doubt it's such a crippling problem for most people most of the time. A small to moderate negative in the grand scheme of things.

Are you not aware that in modern industrialized societies, a large minority of the population suffers from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety? And that's the tip of a larger subclinical iceberg of angst.

 

[Paradoxum]

Are you not aware that in modern industrialized societies, a large minority of the population suffers from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety? And that's the tip of a larger subclinical iceberg of angst.

I'm not sure that's a problem with too much knowledge though.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Why in the world would it be a negative to have more knowledge?

^This

and....

And, I am always a little bit leery, of anyone claiming they have too much knowledge and more knowledge than most other people.

^This.

I know what the OP is talking about when he says he needs to sorta dumb himself down around people. I've have to do that to an extent with my friends, which is partially why I come here. But I don't think I'm smarter than most people. I think I just have dumb friends

To answer the OP I would say, yes. There is a limit to individual human knowledge. But the knowledge we've acquired collectively, no. Because of our ability to record and pass on knowledge, I think we have an infinite capacity and I don't think we'll ever max out.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

I'm not sure that's a problem with too much knowledge though.

It's probably not. I suffer from an anxiety condition, and I can honestly say that there's absolutely nothing rational about it.

 

[JimmyNeutron]

Strangely, I have a desire to increase my knowledge all the time despite the words of Solomon "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief." I do think this is true, to a certain extent. I mean, the logical mind that I possess causes me to reason that earthly existence is more meaningless than most people realize.

 

[znr]

Don't you worry your head off now. We're all dumber than we think.