Is it better to be born knowing or to learn?

So, let's talk about knowledge versus wisdom. Which one actually carries more weight: just having the facts already tucked in your brain, or actually grinding through the struggle to learn them? Personally, I feel like the second option is way "richer" because you get all that life experience baked in... and if we’re valuing experience, then the journey wins hands down.

Think about two students at a big state university: you've got one kid who cruises through the whole year with straight A's without breaking a sweat. Then you've got another student who absolutely bombs their first semester with D's, but then they finally flip a switch, start hitting the books hard, and end up pulling off an incredible comeback with top grades. Who do we respect more? The natural prodigy or the one who fought their way back from the bottom?

P.S. Hopefully, I made my point clear this time! 😛

Well, I have to say, you weren't exactly crystal clear there. 😛

Perhaps we could attempt to rephrase the core of your argument as follows:

1. Which holds more intrinsic value: reaching enlightenment strictly through raw, lived experience, or via pure, unadulterated theoretical contemplation?

2. Is it more worthwhile to encounter an individual who has already ascended to a specific high level of intellect, or someone who hasn't reached that peak yet but possesses the latent potential to eventually climb it?

If one were to peer a bit deeper into the mechanics of this, the true deciding factor becomes the structural integrity of a person's being, because that internal architecture is inextricably linked to both their experiences and their accumulated knowledge; essentially, the depth of one's capacity to actually GRASP what they have learned through education or felt through life depends entirely on how well-formed their inner self truly is.

That brings us to the inevitable question: what, precisely, constitutes the "structural integrity of one's being"? 😬

I don't get it. How can you claim to "know" something if you haven't actually studied it?

placidranger said:I don't get it. How can you claim to "know" something if you haven't actually studied it?

👍

Olivia Evans8, your question is total nonsense and logically broken. You can't get to knowledge without learning. You've got cause and effect completely backwards.😁

steelskipper4 said:Well, I have to say, you weren't exactly crystal clear there. 😛

Perhaps we could attempt to rephrase the core of your argument as follows:

1. Which holds more intrinsic value: reaching enlightenment strictly through raw, lived experience, or via pure, unadulterated theoretical contemplation?

2. Is it more worthwhile to encounter an individual who has already ascended to a specific high level of intellect, or someone who hasn't reached that peak yet but possesses the latent potential to eventually climb it?

If one were to peer a bit deeper into the mechanics of this, the true deciding factor becomes the structural integrity of a person's being, because that internal architecture is inextricably linked to both their experiences and their accumulated knowledge; essentially, the depth of one's capacity to actually GRASP what they have learned through education or felt through life depends entirely on how well-formed their inner self truly is.

That brings us to the inevitable question: what, precisely, constitutes the "structural integrity of one's being"? 😬

I honestly think we build ourselves up through understanding, and that understanding is essentially the true value of everything we know.

The thing is, though, a person's character can go one of two ways: they can become trapped within what they already know, effectively closing themselves off to new insights, or they can develop a character that stays open and free, without feeling this constant need to constantly prove themselves to others.

To back that up, I came across this little quote by Deepak Chopra that really hit home for me:

Intelligence is like water—it has to flow to stay pure...

Olivia Evans8 said:So, let's talk about knowledge versus wisdom. Which one actually carries more weight: just having the facts already tucked in your brain, or actually grinding through the struggle to learn them? Personally, I feel like the second option is way "richer" because you get all that life experience baked in... and if we’re valuing experience, then the journey wins hands down.

Think about two students at a big state university: you've got one kid who cruises through the whole year with straight A's without breaking a sweat. Then you've got another student who absolutely bombs their first semester with D's, but then they finally flip a switch, start hitting the books hard, and end up pulling off an incredible comeback with top grades. Who do we respect more? The natural prodigy or the one who fought their way back from the bottom?

P.S. Hopefully, I made my point clear this time! 😛

So, what you're actually asking is whether existing intelligence holds more value. Is that really the core of it?
Is it something you’re born with, or is it something you actually have to work for? We love to debate this one. Is intelligence some fixed, unchangeable thing etched into your DNA from day one? Or is it more like a muscle that gets stronger the more you push it? Some people argue that if you aren't "naturally gifted," you might as well stop trying. Personally, I find that logic a bit lazy. Why lean on luck when you can rely on effort? On the flip side, we can't exactly ignore biology either. So, what do you think? Are we just playing out a pre-written script, or are we actually building ourselves from the ground up? 😉

Knowledge, habits, and skills? They aren't just random things you pick up along the way. They’re actually just different ways of being adaptable. Everything we learn or do repeatedly is basically just our way of adjusting to the world around us.
It’s the difference between actual intelligence and just following a script you were taught. One is instinctive; the other is just rehearsed. Which one are you actually using?
They’re already starting to develop—growing in an environment that's actually stimulating and geared toward success.

Actually, I think you’ve got it completely backward.

Smart reactions? Please. They don't happen because they're learned; they happen because they aren't.
They tend to lose their cool and get pretty colorful with their language whenever they're thrown into a new situation.

It’s really just the ability to actually grasp how different pieces of data connect to one another. You know? It's about seeing the actual relationships hidden in the numbers instead of just staring at a spreadsheet.
And honestly, once you finally wrap your head around that, you start seeing wins everywhere. It’s like everything just clicks. Success starts showing up in every single thing you touch.
Because of that knack for being both inventive and critical.
To make it actually easier to jump into the learning process and soak up some real knowledge,
It’s one thing to read all the theory in some textbook, but it’s another thing entirely to actually apply that knowledge when you're out there in the real world. Does anyone else feel like there's a massive gap between knowing the rules and actually executing them when things get messy?

Smart reactions aren't rigid. They’re elastic.
Book learning is rigid. It’s stuck in its ways. It follows a script that doesn't account for how the real world actually works.
(And incredibly stereotypical and boring.)

Honestly, Olivia Evans8, I don't think you actually care about existing intelligence at all.
Well, honestly... if she doesn't exist, she’s clearly not worth your time.

Based on the opening post—where the core question centers on whether we should value what we’ve already learned versus what we're currently acquiring—that's how I'd frame it.
... aside from what one actually learns through experience and their own innate intelligence ...
Because... let’s be honest, it should go without saying that being intelligent and actually possessing knowledge are two entirely different things.

I’m starting to worry you picked a pretty poor example for your opening post. Honestly, things might have been much clearer if you had just left it out entirely.

So... anyway...
...this would actually serve as a pretty good example:

I’m honestly not quite sure what you were aiming for when you posed that question.
... just so I could. I knew it. I feel compelled to ask for some clarification here. I think I need a bit more context before I can truly wrap my head around this.
I’m operating under the assumption that part of the question is already quite clear.
But let's be clear: an assumption is never a substitute for actual knowledge. You should always verify your premises before you start building an argument on them.
So then I find myself asking... is that really how it works? Was that actually what you were getting at?
... or ... let me walk you through this using this specific example. Does that rule actually apply here, or am I just overthinking it? If my interpretation of what you meant is correct, then it really ought to hold water. (...for instance...)

If you actually give a damn about having a conversation and reaching any kind of mutual understanding, you’ll find yourself responding.
That’s my plan, anyway... I’ll try to work through it via conversation... assuming there’s actually someone on the other end willing to listen. I’m getting closer to finally figuring this all out. What exactly are you basing that on?

So... through our conversation, I suppose I’ll be learning all about you.
Even if you decide to stay silent, I’ll still walk away having learned something about you—perhaps even more than intended. Though, I certainly won't be uncovering whatever specific train of thought led you to post this topic in the first place.

Another option would be if I actually possessed the gift of telepathy—or perhaps something even more useful. I mean, imagine if I could just accurately know, or truly feel, exactly what you’re feeling right now.
If I actually possessed that kind of intuition, I’d have the answers ready without needing to ask a single question.

If I were to step into this conversation, I’d want to start from a place of actual clarity—specifically, knowing exactly what you intended to convey when you originally opened this thread.

It’s a bit like that—through the actual grind of learning, you gradually find yourself inching closer to true understanding.
Once you actually reach a certain level of mastery, there isn't really anything left to "learn" in the traditional sense. You aren't studying anymore; you're just existing within that knowledge.

So, what actually holds value?
Good grief...
The value of what we’re collectively calling "existing knowledge" here is beyond question. Because, honestly... damn it... at that point, you actually know what you're doing.

The true value of learning really comes back to what you said at the very beginning—it’s all about the experience.
Because... you didn't just learn something new. You actually became a different person entirely.

So, here’s my take: the most valuable path forward would be through direct experience—learning in the broadest sense of the word. It’s about moving toward a state of actualized knowledge, the kind that eventually makes assumptions entirely unnecessary.

To give you a concrete example of what I was getting at, it would look like this...
It’s a rare thing, isn't it? To encounter someone where you aren't just talking to hear yourselves speak, but actually communicating with the genuine intent to be understood—and more importantly, the willingness to truly listen so they can understand you. It’s like two open books, laid out on the table, with nothing left to hide.
Eventually, you reach that point where you just know. It’s more than a hunch; you can actually feel it in your gut. You just know.

So, what’s your take on this?
Does this have anything to do with what you were planning to talk about?

.. so, which holds more weight..?
.. honestly ..
.. the value of what we’re collectively calling .. existing knowledge .. is undeniable .. because back then .. well .. you just know ..

.. but the value of learning lies in what you mentioned at the start .. in experience ..
.. because .. you haven't just acquired information .. you've actually become someone new ..

.. let me offer .. a slightly more vivid illustration ..

.. a sea turtle hatches from its egg .. scrambles out of a hole in the sand .. and bolts toward the ocean ..
.. essentially .. it emerges .. and already knows how to move .. immediately ..

.. a calf or a lamb needs a little more .. just a tiny bit .. enough to shake off the shock of entering the big wide world .. to get on all fours and nurse ..

.. the turtle and the calf don't need to learn how to walk ..
.. for them, the knowledge of movement is already .. existing ..

.. but .. what about humans..?
.. humans need time .. they .. have to learn to walk ..
.. it takes time ..
.. but .. damn it .. through that learning, one develops .. motor skill development during that phase is tied directly to psychological growth ..
(.. learning to walk would be even more significant .. even more deeply tied to the development of the psyche .. will .. and personality .. if a human were learning to walk while temporarily paralyzed ..)

.. once you learn to walk, you stop thinking about walking ..
.. it becomes like .. breathing .. or blinking ..
.. it feels natural, as if it’s always been there ..
(.. and it is .. knowledge is never something that is forced .. or something you have to strain to achieve ..)

.. there is a unique value in that process of learning to walk while paralyzed .. because the learned skill becomes conscious .. the entire journey toward achieving it is brought into awareness ..
(.. well .. it can be made conscious without that, but for the paralyzed, there is no progress without bringing it into consciousness .. so it serves as a good example ..)

.. and that allows for a conscious transfer of knowledge to other areas ..

.. such as how attitudes develop .. or how opinions and perspectives shift ..
.. much like the act of walking itself .. Alimi wrote about this, though a few thinkers before him likely arrived at the same realization spontaneously ..

A sudden flash of clarity!

What true pleasure there is in this—the journey toward realization being just as meaningful and fruitful as the destination itself.

The before, the after... all leading toward deeper understanding. ☕

One doesn't simply say "live for the moment," does one? 😍

I don't mean to offend anyone, but I honestly don't think this qualifies as philosophy. It feels more like a failed attempt at some sort of manufactured "wisdom."

Joseph Rodriguez9 said:I don't mean to offend anyone, but I honestly don't think this qualifies as philosophy. It feels more like a failed attempt at some sort of manufactured "wisdom."

So, you can either point out exactly where you see their potential downfall,
so they might actually use your brilliant insights to climb out of the gutter, or
you could stop mocking their failed attempts at "wisdom" and instead offer a successful version
of your own.

Otherwise, you're standing on the exact same level as the people you're criticizing—if not lower—
by egoistically assuming a higher ground without actually contributing anything
to justify staying there.

to realize you don't actually know 😉

Elizabeth Ruiz65 said:So, you can either point out exactly where you see their potential downfall,
so they might actually use your brilliant insights to climb out of the gutter, or
you could stop mocking their failed attempts at "wisdom" and instead offer a successful version
of your own.

Otherwise, you're standing on the exact same level as the people you're criticizing—if not lower—
by egoistically assuming a higher ground without actually contributing anything
to justify staying there.

I don't know about all of you, but I had to learn how to walk and crawl through life myself. I wasn't born with a PhD in everything, so I think this whole topic is being opened up for no reason. It feels as pointless as starting a philosophy seminar to debate whether Spider-Man makes rational decisions 🙂. In my view, it’s just silly to dwell on these hypothetical scenarios when there's absolutely no practical benefit to be gained 🙂. And no, I’m not trying to force my "own wisdom" on anyone; I don't consider myself a wise man by any stretch, but I do believe I have the right to hold an opinion without people immediately jumping down my throat and labeling me names. 🙂

Socrates taught us that recognizing how little we actually know is where true wisdom begins.