On knowledge, education, learning, intelligence, and competence

This Friday's, note in my pursue to try my hand at writing short notes, aphorisms, and poems, is inspired by the theoretical physicist Richard Feynman, who was a greater master than most in putting things briefly and eloquently. So, in some sense, here I am the student trying to learn from the master.

Feynman frequently delved into the philosophy of science, knowledge, and intelligence in his books. And I read a few of them this spring. If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading Feynman, I highly recommend it. And so, here it goes:

On knowledge, education, learning, intelligence, and competence: Knowledge refers to an understanding of a subject, while education is the method by which we acquire knowledge (theoretical and/or practical). The process of obtaining knowledge is called learning, while the ability to utilize that knowledge to think and reason is called intelligence. Competence, on the other hand, is the application of knowledge to create or achieve something of value for someone. A person can be highly knowledgeable and educated but not necessarily intelligent or competent, and vice versa. Additionally, a person can be highly intelligent but not very competent.

Words are not just words; they are the keys to our understanding of the world. And like any key, they must be cut with precision and care.