This past weekend, a hierarchy appeared to me that is so basic and foundational and it really helps me keep in mind how things really break down across our human experience.
It’s certainly the result of my continued exploration and growing sense that information itself might be a force we are dealing with, thus, I’ve been priming myself to figure out how information might stand apart from the language techniques or levers we use to understand and talk about it.
I don’t have a name for it yet.
Here it is -
Information in the world (natural state)
-information-
Language in the systems (human transference)
-information-
Intelligence in our minds (human meaning)
-information-
Knowledge in our books (human authority)
-information-
Feeling in our soul (human sensing)
-information-
Ignorance in our action (human stubbornness & pride)
-information-
Learning in between (being / becoming human)
The primary reflection I have of this is that if an activity does not combine two or more levels, then it’s unlikely that learning is occurring. For example, if you are only operating from the intelligence in your mind, it is unlikely that you are learning anything new. Also, if you are only gaining knowledge from written artifacts (books and such) then how much of this is knowledge acquisition vs. a more immersive learning experience?
The further reflection is the more you remain within one lever, the more likely that practice is something that AI can take over. In other words, AI can’t move between the levers that would be required of a more embodied experience but it can capture and respond to any single layer of language. It can tell us about the language of the system or the knowledge in a book but it can’t tell us how to navigate the change or transformation that’s possible between the system and the book.
This is where human learning through embodied experience remains key.
Food for thought.
Let me know what you think. Is this a helpful framing?