219 | Dani Bassett and Perry Zurn on the Neuroscience and Philosophy of Curiosity
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
Building Knowledge Structures as Networks from Information Gaps
In the practice of philosophy, the understanding of concepts involves tracing their evolution, connections, and associations across different thinkers and contexts. This process inherently creates an implicit network method within the historical practice. Curiosity is driven by the desire to fill information gaps within these networks, which are formed in our minds. These networks may have cavities, holes, or gaps, and curiosity motivates us to fill these gaps like finding a missing puzzle piece. However, the shape of these knowledge networks becomes an important consideration. It is argued that knowledge structures can be rigid and fixed, limiting the ability to incorporate new information or reshape existing knowledge. Therefore, an optimal knowledge structure is one that fills gaps but also allows for flexibility and adaptability. This trade-off between filling gaps and leaving room for flexibility enables us to recognize the need for reshaping our knowledge when confronted with new information, making it crucial in an ever-changing world.
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