Three ways to acquire knowledge

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Suppose you have your eyes covered and you stand in front of a table on which there is a bucket; then you’re asked whether the bucket is empty or filled with water. There are three ways to find out the answer without having to remove the blindfold. The first method is to put your hand into the bucket and then feel whether there is water inside it. In other words, you can directly try to see if the bucket is empty or full. This method of acquiring knowledge is called trial. The second method is to put the same thing into the bucket, such as small pebbles. By distinguishing the sound produced by small pebbles hitting the bottom of the bucket from the sound made when the pebbles move like water, you can tell whether there is water in the bucket. This method of acquiring knowledge is called reasoning. The third method is to ask someone you trust to go check the bucket and tell you whether there is water in it. This method of acquiring knowledge is called trust. Trying, reasoning, and trusting – these are the three ways we acquire knowledge. The highest level of management – trust.