How can knowledge be acquired?

Answer 1

Taking physics classes is a pretty good way. Also, reading books on physics can help, if you get the right books. (It's a good idea to stay away from some of the more New Age-y titles... anything with a title that suggests Eastern Mysticism in particular is generally less about physics and more about making some sort of philosophical or metaphysical point; it may be entertaining, but you probably won't learn much about actual physics except incidentally.) The "Mr. Tompkins" series of books by George Gamow are quite good if you want a nice easy layman's guide to quantum mechanics or relativity. Hawking's A Brief History of Timeis a popular book on the early universe and Big Bang theory. Rudy Rucker's Geometry, Relativity and the Fourth Dimensionborders on New Age-y at times but does have some fairly solid information on relativity and higher dimensions in the geometrical sense. If you want something more meaty with lots of equations, then the Feynman Lectures on Physics series (3 books) is excellent.

Answer 2

Here are some ways to improve your knowledge:

• surf the internet
• read a lot of books
• watch a lot of movies
• talk to a lot of people
• visit a lot of places
• come on this site and read and answer questions

The best way to improve your knowledge is to study hard. Other ways are:

• Read (non-fiction) about many different things, not only the things that interest you. Include any and every branch of science.
• Pick up a current World Almanac at the bookstore. There are several different ones but they contain basically the same material. They are jam-packed with interesting, useful and 'general' information.
  • Here's a challenge: Get one of the World Almanacs and thumb through the pages summarizing all the nations of the world. Count how many official world nations there are that you have never heard of. You don't think there are any? You are in for a surprise. Challenge part B: Is Holland the name of one of the world's nations?
• Listen to or watch a news program regularly. The BBC programs are particularly good, because they focus on main events world-wide, and not just local or sensational news that most of the time doesn't provide a lot of substance.
• Develop an interest in national and local politics to the degree that you can.
• Have some hobbies, including some kind of art if you don't already have that. Why? It will help develop some thinking skills to add to your mental arsenal. You may not see this now, but this is part of the general knowledge you seek, right?
• Use the internet to research topics that interest you, but always take a questioning and skeptical attitude regarding anything you learn on-line. Skeptical is good. Cynical is not so good.
• Questioning is not bad; it is particularly good. If you are in school, develop the habit of asking your teachers questions. This will be uplifting to them, you will gain knowledge, and not the least important, you will gain points with your teachers.
• Be curious about everything.
• If you are serious about wanting to have general knowledge, you will have to be (or get) comfortable with ambiguity and contradiction. Lots of ambiguity and contradiction. Don't fear this; it's just the way the world is.
• The bottom line (or in this case the penultimate line) is that having 'general knowledge' is a frame of mind, not something you attain by following a list of directions.

• And please, don't forget to have lots of fun, enjoy your friends and do some things (legal and safe) just because you enjoy doing them.

Answer 3

As human beings we all have the potential to acquire knowledge and learn new things throughout our lives. Knowledge can be acquired by books, observations, experiences, visualization, imagination etc etc.