Single Idea 19261

[catalogued under 11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 2. Understanding]

Full Idea

What is distinctive about understanding (after truth is satisfied) is the internal seeing or appreciating of explanatory and other coherence-inducing relationships in a body of information that is crucial for understanding.

Gist of Idea

Understanding is seeing coherent relationships in the relevant information

Source

Jonathan Kvanvig (The Value of Knowledge and the Pursuit of Understanding [2003], 198), quoted by Anand Vaidya - Understanding and Essence 'Distinction'

Book Reference

-: 'Philosophia' [-], p.816


A Reaction

For me this ticks exactly the right boxes. Coherent explanations are what we want. The hardest part is the ensure their truth. Kvanvig claims this is internal, so we can understand even if, Gettier-style, our external connections are lucky.

Related Idea

Idea 19265 Can you possess objective understanding without realising it? [Vaidya]