Human Knowledge

We humans think we know a lot.  We have computers and advanced electronics.  We can travel across the globe.  Yet, in the realm of actual knowledge of reality we have major gulfs of ignorance.

I read various philosophers and theologians and enjoy their elaborate theories on everything.  Yet, when I ask, "What is the validity of this particular ideal?" I am left empty.  Usually, the answer is because I said so.  Of course, then you read the next philosopher who rejects his predecessor's ideals and presents his own contradictory message the answer is again the same.  My theory is correct because I say so.  This seems to be true for both philosophical and theological ideas.  Of course, the theological ones also have the claim for metaphysical revelation as their validity.

It seems there is a vast gulf between objective and subjective statements of knowledge.  Objective knowledge such as obtained from scientific methodology gives what I call empirical data.  Data that can be verified by some type of experimental data that is repeatable.  Of course, our objective experience is subject to our filters of reality, our five senses and their entrapment in this three dimensional space.  Subjective experience which may be valid can only be experienced by the reporting individual.  Even when there is more than one person reporting the same experience the evidence continues to be located only in the consciousness of the reporting individual or individuals.   Thus both types of knowledge create problems but the fact that empirical knowledge can be experience by third person seems to add to his validity.

We humans are born into this reality, exist for a short span of time and then cease to exist.  Most individual's history are forgotten in a century or less.   Some suggest we have histories before we are born and others say that death is the beginning of a future existence.   The problem is we have no empirical evidence supporting such theories.  In fact there is a lack of evidence for either proposition; whether we exist before or after physical death.  We have many theories but these are all without empirical evidence and are based on subjective statements most of which originates from what people have believed in the past through various religious teachings.  These theories are many and often contradict each other even within the same system of thought.   Some theology is older, much more developed and complex but all suffer from the same deficit, lack of empirical evidence.

I am not saying this as a negative reflection on philosophy or theology.  I have my own subjective belief system.  I give it only as an example of the failure of our knowledge system to address such questions.  Is there a metaphysical dimension?  Is there no creative scientist who can design a method to study these type questions?  So far it seems to be the answer is no.