[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your reply and for sharing your quibbles!!! I'm glad to be able to help out in doing the lists, sadly I'll probably be gone this afternoon though so won't be able to "keep up". Anyway...

Since this is a compilation so that we can understand one another better, I’ve taken the liberty of interpreting your last post (and a few earlier) into what I believe is a “Patrick Henry” list of types of knowledge and valuations of certainty. I’ve included mine below for comparison and to encourage others to submit their own.

Please let me know where I have misinterpreted your posts!

PatrickHenry’s types of “knowledge” and valuation of certainties:

1. Logical conclusion: I can prove the Pythagorean theorem is valid and true.
2. Prediction from scientific theory: I calculate there will be a partial solar eclipse this week.
3. Evidence/Historical fact, whether uninterpreted or interpreted: I have verifiable evidence Reagan was once President and I have an interpretation of the fossil evidence in the geologic record
4. Sensory perception of something external to me: I see my dog is lying at my feet.
5. Trust in a Mentor: I trust this particular person to always tell me the truth, therefore I know …
6. Determined facts: I accept this as fact because (a) the existence of the consensus is itself a fact; (b) the experts have reviewed the matter far more thoroughly than I could, and I respect the quality of their work generally; (c) I have no reason to doubt their thinking in this matter; and (d) I personally don't know, which is why I'm relying on experts.
7. Personal memory: I recall I had breakfast this morning.
8. Internal emotional state: I feel I'm happy, or I have empathy, compassion or sympathy for you.

Separate List for theological knowledge:

1. Theological knowledge, direct revelation: I have Spiritual understanding directly from God concerning this issue, it didn't come from me.
2. Theological knowledge, indirect revelation: I believe in a revelation experienced by another, i.e. Scripture, etc.
3. Theological knowledge, Imaginings: I have personally surmised my own understanding of this spiritual issue.

Alamo-Girl’s types of “knowledge” and valuation of certainties:

1. Theological knowledge, direct revelation: I have Spiritual understanding directly from God concerning this issue, it didn't come from me.
2. Theological knowledge, indirect revelation: I believe in a revelation experienced by another, i.e. Scripture, etc.
3. Logical conclusion: I can prove the Pythagorean theorem is valid and true.
4. Evidence/Historical fact, uninterpreted: I have verifiable evidence Reagan was once President.
5. Sensory perception of something external to me: I see my dog is lying at my feet.
6. Personal memory: I recall I had breakfast this morning.
7. Prediction from scientific theory: I calculate there will be a partial solar eclipse this week.
8. Trust in a Mentor: I trust this particular person to always tell me the truth, therefore I know …
9. Internal emotional state: I feel I'm happy, or I have empathy, compassion or sympathy for you.
10. Evidence/Historical fact, interpreted: I have an interpretation of the fossil evidence in the geologic record
11. Determined facts: I accept this as fact because of a consensus or veto determination by others, i.e. I trust that these experts know what they are talking about.
12. Theological knowledge, Imaginings: I have personally surmised my own understanding of this spiritual issue.

[PatrickHenry]

Nicely done. I think we might combine my #3

3. Evidence/Historical fact, whether uninterpreted or interpreted: I have verifiable evidence Reagan was once President and I have an interpretation of the fossil evidence in the geologic record

with your #4

4. Evidence/Historical fact, uninterpreted: I have verifiable evidence Reagan was once President.

and your #10

10. Evidence/Historical fact, interpreted: I have an interpretation of the fossil evidence in the geologic record

into one item:

Conclusion from evidence: I conclude from the verifiable evidence that ...

This would cover a multitude of conclusions, some being obvious (Reagan was president) and some being controversial. The conclusion itself (and the underlying data) is that person's "knowledge." The conclusion's accuracy is always going to be an open question, as most reasonable people will admit. It depends on the quality and sufficiency of the evidence, and the validity of the reasoning that leads to the conclusion.

[PatrickHenry]

I would also combine both my #5

5. Trust in a Mentor: I trust this particular person to always tell me the truth, therefore I know …

with my #6

6. Determined facts: I accept this as fact because (a) the existence of the consensus is itself a fact; (b) the experts have reviewed the matter far more thoroughly than I could, and I respect the quality of their work generally; (c) I have no reason to doubt their thinking in this matter; and (d) I personally don't know, which is why I'm relying on experts.

into one form of provisional "knowledge" as follows:

Acceptance of another's opinion: I provisionally accept the opinion of X (an individual or group) as knowledge because (a) I haven't worked it out for myself; and (b) I have what I regard as good reason for confidence in X.

This leaves the matter open, depending on whether confidence in X was justified, and whether X really knows what's going on. Thus, as with most knowledge, the acceptance is provisional.