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== Basic Definition ==
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'''Knowledge creation''' is simply creating [[new knowledge]].  New knowledge is knowledge that never existed before anywhere in the world.  This means that, aside from the knowledge creator, no one on earth has this knowledge in storage in the human brain, in paper, or in a computer or other media, anywhere in the world.


Knowledge creation is simply creating new knowledge.  New knowledge is knowledge that never existed before anywhere in the worldThis means that, aside from the knowledge creator, no one on earth has this knowledge in storage in the human brain, in paper, or in a computer or other media, anywhere in the world.
New knowledge is created by individuals, not by societyKnowledge creation can seem to occur in a group effort, for example, in a brainstorming session. But ultimately individuals in the group create the knowledge, and the group must accept that to incorporate it into their group (e.g., company) knowledge base.  Methods like brainstorming simply facilitate the three components/steps required for social advance.


== Three Components of Social Advance ==


New knowledge is created by individuals, not by society.  Knowledge creation can seem occur in a group effort, for example, in a brainstorming session. But ultimately individuals in the group create the knowledge, and the group must accept that to incorporate it into their own knowledge baseMethods like brainstorming simply facilitate the three steps required for social advance.
The delivery of new knowledge by individuals to society or some segment of society, and its subsequent acceptance, '''is''' social advanceThere are three components required for social advance to occur:


1) An individual(s) '''creates''' and stores new knowledge in his or her brain, in paper, or in a computer or other media.


2) The individual '''expresses''' this knowledge to society.


== Three Components of Social Advance ==
3) Society, or a segment of society, or a social group, '''accepts''' the new knowledge and stores it in the social mind or social systems.


Create, express, and accept...It takes all three of these components for society to advance.


The delivery of new knowledge by individuals to society or some segment of society, and its subsequent acceptance, is social advance.  There are three steps necessary for social advance:
For example, if you are missing:


* Create - The individual fails to create the new knowledge, so society cannot advance.  Or, the individual creates the knowledge, but fails to write it down or store it, and 'forgets' it.  The knowledge is subsequently lost and society is not advanced.  Unless the new knowledge is both created and stored by individuals, society cannot advance.


1. An individual(s) creates and stores knowledge in his or her mind or on a computer system.
* Express - The individual stores the knowledge, but chooses not to express it. The individual is silent and the knowledge is 'tacit.'  Until that knowledge is delivered to society, society cannot advance.


2. The individual expresses this knowledge to society.
* Accept - The individual delivers the new knowledge to society, but society fails to accept that knowledge for any number of reasons.  Or, society accepts the new knowledge, but fails to store it.  Unless the new knowledge is both accepted and stored by society, society cannot advance.


3. Society, or a segment of society, or a social group, accepts the new knowledge and stores it in the social mind or social systems.
It is also important to note that new knowledge that is not stored permanently can be lost at any time. For example, if a person creates new knowledge and then dies, the knowledge could be lost.


== The Tacit Knowledge Fallacy and Questions ==


It takes all three of these components for society to advance.
Michael Polanyi popularized the term tacit knowledge with his saying "We know more than we can tell."  Polanyi concluded that there was a kind of knowledge that preceeded logic that was difficult to express.
 


For example, if you are missing:
In reality, all knowledge is explicit, logical, and structured.  We know this because everything we know can be categorized.  If categories are not clear, logic is not clear, and the knowledge is questionable.


* Number 1 - The individual fails to create the new knowledge, so society cannot advanceOr, the individual creates the knowledge, but fails to write it down or store it, and 'forgets' it.  The knowledge is subsequently lost and society is not advancedUnless the new knowledge is both created and stored by individuals, society cannot advance.
What Polanyi was missing was the concept of the question.  A question is a perceived lack of knowledge structureQuestions exist in an antithetical, yin and yang structural relationship to knowledge.  They call attention to any lack of logical structure, anywhere in the individual or social knowledge base.


* Number 2 - The individual stores the knowledge, but chooses not to express itThe individual is silent and the knowledge is 'tacit.' Until that knowledge is delivered to society, society cannot advance.
Questions are not explicit and cannot be easily expressed, like knowledge canIt is the questions that are 'tacit,' not the knowledgeQuestions are often mixed into knowledge making it difficult to differentiate the two, but true knowledge is always logical, structured, and categorical.


* Number 3 - The individual delivers the new knowledge to society, but society fails to accept that knowledge for any number of reasons.  Or, society accepts the new knowledge, but fails to store it.  Unless the new knowledge is both accepted and stored by society, society cannot advance. 
== Knowledge Creation and the Two Question Types ==


There are two types of questions, learning questions and knowledge creation questions.


It is also important to note that new knowledge that is stored is not stored permanently and can be lost at any time.  For example, if a person creates new knowledge and then dies, the knowledge could potentially be lost if it has not been recorded elsewhere.
Learning questions are questions asked by a learner about knowledge that already exists and is stored somewhere in the social knowledge base.  For example, a physics novice may question various concepts that already exist.


Knowledge creation questions are questions about knowledge that is on the cutting edge of the social knowledge base.  The cutting edge is simply the line between the known and the unknown.  In the perceivable unknown, we find knowledge creation questions.  When these questions are answered, individually or collectively, new knowledge is created.  Answering questions applies order and logic to that which is not yet structured and, as Polanyi might put it, difficult to express.


== The Tacit Knowledge Fallacy ==
== Knowledge Creation Confusion ==


Terms and definitions related to both knowledge working and knowledge creation are commonly confused.  It is important to understand these terms and definitions accurately or the resulting confusion can hide the concept of knowledge creation. 


Michael Polanyi popularized the term tacit knowledge with his saying "We know more than we can tell."  Polanyi concluded that there was a kind of knowledge that preceeded logic that was difficult to express.
''Common Confusion''


* A ''brain'' is a biological storage capacity, not intelligence, while a ''hard drive'' is a computer storage capacity.


In reality, all knowledge is explicit, logical and structured.  We know this because everything we know can be categorizedIf categories are not clear, logic is not clear, and the knowledge is questionable.  Knowledge is logical and categorized.  If categories are not clear, we don't know what we think we know.
* ''Intelligence'' is knowledge stored and retrievable in a brain or in a computerAn intelligent person may never create new knowledge.


* The ''global brain'' is the cumulative knowledge storage capacity of society, not it's cumulative intelligence.


What Polanyi was missing was the concept of the question.  A question is a perceived lack of knowledge structure.  Questions exist in an antithetical, yin and yang structural relationship to knowledge.  They call attention to any lack of logical structure, anywhere in the individual or social knowledge base.  
* The ''global intellect'' is the cumulative knowledge stored and retrievable in social knowledge baseThe term global brain is routinely used to mean the global intellect.


* ''Artificial intelligence'' or AI is knowledge stored and retrievable artificially, for example, in any computer system today.  By this definition, we already have achieved artificial intelligence as a society, with the onset of the computer.  In contrast, ''Artificial knowledge creation'' or AKC is knowledge created artificially, for example, in a computer system.  The latter term is rarely used today, but more accurately reflects many different kinds of AI efforts.


Questions exist individually and collectively.  Collective areas of question are equivalent to what Polanyi called tacit knowledge.  All knowledge is explicit and can be easily expressed.  It is only when knowledge is mixed with questions that it is 'fuzzy' and difficult to express.
* ''Genius'' is high volume knowledge creationA genius is not always intelligent and an intelligent person is not always a genius.


* ''Creativity, creative problem solving, invention, innovation, and ideation'' are all variants of the same knowledge creation cycle (see next section).  Some of these terms refer to divergent knowledge creation and some refer to convergent knowledge creation.  But whether knowledge is diverging (rational) or converging (scientific), it is always created through the same knowledge creation cycle.


== Confusion of Terms ==
* ''Learning'' is knowledge extracted from existing knowledge in the social knowledge base.  Knowledge creation creates new knowledge.  Knowledge creation adds knowledge to society, learning extracts it from society.


Terms related to both knowledge working and knowledge creation are often confused.  Here are a few clarifications:
*  Knowledge creation is the ''driver'' of social advance, not intelligenceIntelligence is the ''result'' of social advance.  
 
* A brain is a biological storage capacity.
* Intelligence is knowledge stored.  An intelligent person may never create new knowledge.
* The 'global brain' is the cumulative knowledge storage capacity of society.
* The 'global intellect' is the cumulative knowledge of society.
* Genius is high volume knowledge creationA genius is not always intelligent.
* Creativity and innovation are variants of the same knowledge creation process.


The concept of knowledge creation has been literally hidden for centuries.  It has been hidden because it has been dissected and absorbed into other concepts, attributed to 'mystery or a divine gift,' or simply ignored.


== The Knowledge Creation Cycle ==
== The Knowledge Creation Cycle ==


Knowledge creation is the conversion of questions or fields of question into knowledge structure.  This process is cyclical and consists of five basic steps:
Knowledge creation is the conversion of questions or fields of question into knowledge structure.  This process is cyclical and consists of five basic steps:


1. Definition/Solution/Structure (Knowledge Context).
1. Definition/Solution/Structure (Knowledge Context).
Line 80: Line 85:
5. Return to step 1.
5. Return to step 1.


 
Knowledge creation is additive and as such new knowledge is built upon existing knowledge context (by answering knowledge creation questions at the cutting edge)Intelligence in a given area, or knowledge stored and retrievable in that knowledge area, is required to create new knowledge.  All knowledge is created by this cyclical process of building new knowledge at the continually expanding cutting edge.
Knowledge creation is additive and as such new knowledge is built upon existing knowledge context.  Expertise in a given area is therefore required to create new knowledge.  All knowledge is created by this cyclical process and this 'knowledge context' is in turn vulnerable to this process as soon as it is created.
 
 
== Confusion of Terms ==
 
 
Terms like genius, creativity, innovation, creative problem solving, and knowledge creation have been historically studied and represented as loosely related topics. When appropriately understood, all of these terms describe, or are components of, the knowledge creation cycle outlined above.
 
For example, a genius is a person that is skilled in knowledge creation, not an intellectual alone.  As another example, innovation is used to describe knowledge creation in both science and business.
 


== Knowledge vs. Knowledge Products ==
== Knowledge vs. Knowledge Products ==


Industry is the 'science of making things.'  In industry, we make new products (and services) from knowledge capital by designing, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing these products.  Knowledge is not products, but products do require knowledge to produce.  Products are produced by knowing and then doing or performing.  They are not produced through knowledge creation.


Knowledge is not products, but products do require knowledge to produce them.  Industry is the 'science of making things.'  In industry, we make new products (and services) from knowledge capital by designing, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing these products.
Knowledge is needed to create products, but these products are not equal to knowledge.  Products are not required to create new knowledge, but newly created knowledge can lead to the establishment of new products.
 
 
Knowledge is needed to create products, but again, these products are not equal to knowledge and products are not required to create new knowledge.
 
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Knowledge creation is simply creating new knowledge. New knowledge is knowledge that never existed before anywhere in the world. This means that, aside from the knowledge creator, no one on earth has this knowledge in storage in the human brain, in paper, or in a computer or other media, anywhere in the world.

New knowledge is created by individuals, not by society. Knowledge creation can seem to occur in a group effort, for example, in a brainstorming session. But ultimately individuals in the group create the knowledge, and the group must accept that to incorporate it into their group (e.g., company) knowledge base. Methods like brainstorming simply facilitate the three components/steps required for social advance.

Three Components of Social Advance

The delivery of new knowledge by individuals to society or some segment of society, and its subsequent acceptance, is social advance. There are three components required for social advance to occur:

1) An individual(s) creates and stores new knowledge in his or her brain, in paper, or in a computer or other media.

2) The individual expresses this knowledge to society.

3) Society, or a segment of society, or a social group, accepts the new knowledge and stores it in the social mind or social systems.

Create, express, and accept...It takes all three of these components for society to advance.

For example, if you are missing:

  • Create - The individual fails to create the new knowledge, so society cannot advance. Or, the individual creates the knowledge, but fails to write it down or store it, and 'forgets' it. The knowledge is subsequently lost and society is not advanced. Unless the new knowledge is both created and stored by individuals, society cannot advance.
  • Express - The individual stores the knowledge, but chooses not to express it. The individual is silent and the knowledge is 'tacit.' Until that knowledge is delivered to society, society cannot advance.
  • Accept - The individual delivers the new knowledge to society, but society fails to accept that knowledge for any number of reasons. Or, society accepts the new knowledge, but fails to store it. Unless the new knowledge is both accepted and stored by society, society cannot advance.

It is also important to note that new knowledge that is not stored permanently can be lost at any time. For example, if a person creates new knowledge and then dies, the knowledge could be lost.

The Tacit Knowledge Fallacy and Questions

Michael Polanyi popularized the term tacit knowledge with his saying "We know more than we can tell." Polanyi concluded that there was a kind of knowledge that preceeded logic that was difficult to express.

In reality, all knowledge is explicit, logical, and structured. We know this because everything we know can be categorized. If categories are not clear, logic is not clear, and the knowledge is questionable.

What Polanyi was missing was the concept of the question. A question is a perceived lack of knowledge structure. Questions exist in an antithetical, yin and yang structural relationship to knowledge. They call attention to any lack of logical structure, anywhere in the individual or social knowledge base.

Questions are not explicit and cannot be easily expressed, like knowledge can. It is the questions that are 'tacit,' not the knowledge. Questions are often mixed into knowledge making it difficult to differentiate the two, but true knowledge is always logical, structured, and categorical.

Knowledge Creation and the Two Question Types

There are two types of questions, learning questions and knowledge creation questions.

Learning questions are questions asked by a learner about knowledge that already exists and is stored somewhere in the social knowledge base. For example, a physics novice may question various concepts that already exist.

Knowledge creation questions are questions about knowledge that is on the cutting edge of the social knowledge base. The cutting edge is simply the line between the known and the unknown. In the perceivable unknown, we find knowledge creation questions. When these questions are answered, individually or collectively, new knowledge is created. Answering questions applies order and logic to that which is not yet structured and, as Polanyi might put it, difficult to express.

Knowledge Creation Confusion

Terms and definitions related to both knowledge working and knowledge creation are commonly confused. It is important to understand these terms and definitions accurately or the resulting confusion can hide the concept of knowledge creation.

Common Confusion

  • A brain is a biological storage capacity, not intelligence, while a hard drive is a computer storage capacity.
  • Intelligence is knowledge stored and retrievable in a brain or in a computer. An intelligent person may never create new knowledge.
  • The global brain is the cumulative knowledge storage capacity of society, not it's cumulative intelligence.
  • The global intellect is the cumulative knowledge stored and retrievable in social knowledge base. The term global brain is routinely used to mean the global intellect.
  • Artificial intelligence or AI is knowledge stored and retrievable artificially, for example, in any computer system today. By this definition, we already have achieved artificial intelligence as a society, with the onset of the computer. In contrast, Artificial knowledge creation or AKC is knowledge created artificially, for example, in a computer system. The latter term is rarely used today, but more accurately reflects many different kinds of AI efforts.
  • Genius is high volume knowledge creation. A genius is not always intelligent and an intelligent person is not always a genius.
  • Creativity, creative problem solving, invention, innovation, and ideation are all variants of the same knowledge creation cycle (see next section). Some of these terms refer to divergent knowledge creation and some refer to convergent knowledge creation. But whether knowledge is diverging (rational) or converging (scientific), it is always created through the same knowledge creation cycle.
  • Learning is knowledge extracted from existing knowledge in the social knowledge base. Knowledge creation creates new knowledge. Knowledge creation adds knowledge to society, learning extracts it from society.
  • Knowledge creation is the driver of social advance, not intelligence. Intelligence is the result of social advance.

The concept of knowledge creation has been literally hidden for centuries. It has been hidden because it has been dissected and absorbed into other concepts, attributed to 'mystery or a divine gift,' or simply ignored.

The Knowledge Creation Cycle

Knowledge creation is the conversion of questions or fields of question into knowledge structure. This process is cyclical and consists of five basic steps:

1. Definition/Solution/Structure (Knowledge Context).

2. Question/Problem.

3. Logical Operation (connects/structures/defines).

4. Result: Advanced Definition/Solution/Structure.

5. Return to step 1.

Knowledge creation is additive and as such new knowledge is built upon existing knowledge context (by answering knowledge creation questions at the cutting edge). Intelligence in a given area, or knowledge stored and retrievable in that knowledge area, is required to create new knowledge. All knowledge is created by this cyclical process of building new knowledge at the continually expanding cutting edge.

Knowledge vs. Knowledge Products

Industry is the 'science of making things.' In industry, we make new products (and services) from knowledge capital by designing, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing these products. Knowledge is not products, but products do require knowledge to produce. Products are produced by knowing and then doing or performing. They are not produced through knowledge creation.

Knowledge is needed to create products, but these products are not equal to knowledge. Products are not required to create new knowledge, but newly created knowledge can lead to the establishment of new products.