Tree of Knowledge System: what is it and what is it based on?

When we talk about science and research, reference cannot be made merely to the ways of knowing or discovering the world.; it is also the putting into practice of a concrete way of thinking. Through science, people try to approximate and understand the complexity of everything that surrounds us. In a world where knowledge is so vast, uncontrollable and constantly expanding, there is a need to find effective ways to organize and understand it.

Understanding and generating ways to organize knowledge can be challenging, but there are models concepts to visualize such structures, such as the Tree System of the Knowledge. This works as a visual and conceptual representation that helps us organize and classify ideas and theories throughout four levels that go from the most basic fundamentals to the most abstract and complex concepts to explain the mind human.

In this article, we are going to explore how the Tree of Knowledge System is structured, examining the eight levels that it proposes and analyzing its applications in different fields of knowledge

. Being important to always take a critical approach, we will address the criticisms and debates generated around this knowledge organization system.

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What is the Tree of Knowledge System?

To begin to understand the very basics of the Tree of Knowledge System, it is important to address the meaning of its name. This is based on the metaphor of a tree, representing the structure and organization of human knowledge.. Just as a tree has roots, a trunk and branches, knowledge can also be organized at different levels depending on its complexity and specialization.

The main feature of the Tree of Knowledge System is its ability to explain the human mind in relation to real facts; defines the person in relation to the knowledge they have, thus giving the starting point to solve the fundamental problem of Psychology. Next, we will break down each of these levels to understand them:

1. The matter

The most fundamental level of this tree, what we would consider the roots, represents those most basic concepts and principles that are fundamental to sustain the entire consequent building of knowledge. It refers to matter for being the initial form of "life" or existence, referring to the Big Bang.

The main origin of this level could be the discovery of gravity, itself making a general reference to physical and mathematical sciences and logic. In short, this level is made up of all the disciplines that establish the foundations on which the rest of the structures derived from the Tree of Knowledge are built. This is the level that gives rise to knowledge, which will later be understood in a certain way by each person.

2. Life

The second level, life, refers to the evolution of the species and the generation of human knowledge. By relating it to a specific discipline, this level would make a direct reference to the biological sciences. Included in levels of knowledge, we could say that this is a level of passage between "matter" and "mind"; without the existence of life, there is no room for a mind that processes matter and generates consequent knowledge. Biological sciences try to explain the functioning of the human body and biological structures; everything that has life.

3. The mind

This third level is the most relevant for the perspective of Psychology. As we have been commenting, the Tree of Knowledge System tries to explain mind in relation to matter; seeks to understand the different ways in which each person processes and generates knowledge.

So, the level of the mind in relation to knowledge originates with the Behaviorist Theories, by the hand of authors such as Pavlov or Skinner. Therefore, the discipline that is mostly related to this level of knowledge is Psychology; It is the one that tries to know and explain the functioning of the human mind from the individual and collective experiences that each person faces.

4. Culture

Culture is the last level of the Tree of Knowledge System, referring to the way in which generate cultures through the grouping of human mentalities and subsequent orientations of thought at the level former. Therefore, the knowledge or discipline encompassed at this level would be the Social Sciences as a whole.

These are those that try to explain the great human movements, abandoning individualistic perspectives or focused on knowing the functioning of each separate mind. According to the Tree of Knowledge System, From this last level and as an interconnection of all the previous ones and the disciplines associated with them, Science is generated as a global set..

Knowledge Tree System Applications

The Tree of Knowledge System is used in multiple practical applications in various fields of knowledge, in accordance with the heterogeneity of knowledge that it encompasses. Its hierarchical structure and its ability to show the connections between different disciplines make it a valuable tool for understanding and studying human knowledge. Next, we comment on some of its main applications:

1. educational field

In the educational field, the Tree of Knowledge System can be useful to help students visualize the relationship between different subjects and disciplines, and understand the role of each individual person and of societies in the generation and assumption of knowledge.

By understanding each concept and interrelationship of knowledge, students can have a more integrated and meaningful vision of what they learn., training in an interdisciplinary approach and promoting deep understanding rather than fragmented learning.

2. scientific field

For science, this system allows researchers to have the ability to contextualize their studies and understand how their work relates to other branches of knowledge. For example, a scientist working in neuroscience can use this system to understand how neuroscience research can be linked to biology, psychology, and medicine. This panoramic vision encourages collaboration between different disciplines and can contribute to more significant and interdisciplinary scientific advances.

3. Business field

Focused on companies and work, this system can be a useful tool to identify opportunities for the development of new ideas or products. Understanding the areas of knowledge that are on the periphery of a given field, it is possible to find unexpected connections and generate innovative solutions. This approach can foster creativity and help companies find new ways to address problems and improve their products or services.

Criticisms and limitations of the Tree of Knowledge System

Although the Tree of Knowledge System provides a useful vision and structure for organizing knowledge, this does not leave it exempt from criticism and debate. Some argue that this is an oversimplifying representation of the complexity of human knowledge, limiting our understanding of the interrelationships between disciplines.

Despite the criticism, it is important to recognize that this system is a very valuable tool to facilitate the understanding and organization of human knowledge.. Like any scientific structure, there may be limitations and challenges, but it is by considering these critiques that science advances.

The debate around the Tree of Knowledge System prompts us to reflect on the way in which represent and understand knowledge, invites consideration of complementary approaches and encourages more integrators. Some of the main criticisms are:

1. Perpetuates the knowledge divide

One of the most common criticisms is that this system perpetuates the division and fragmentation of knowledge into watertight compartments. Although many people see this as an open door to interdisciplinarity, others think that, By categorizing knowledge into separate levels and branches, walls are created between each discipline, complicating their interconnection. These critics maintain that more transversal and multidisciplinary approaches should be generated.

2. Ignores the dynamism and evolution of knowledge

Another major criticism focuses on considering knowledge as constantly dynamic and evolving. This is not static, it is constantly changing and developing, and these critics argue that a system like this does not adequately take into account this dynamic and constantly evolving aspect. Critics argue the need to adopt more flexible and adaptive representations of knowledge, so that they better reflect its changing nature..

conclusions

In conclusion, the Tree of Knowledge System provides a powerful visual and conceptual representation for understanding and organizing the vast world of human knowledge. Through these four levels and a hierarchical structure, this system invites us to explore connections and relationships between different disciplines, giving us a more comprehensive and holistic vision of the same.

The criticisms and debates around this system are relevant to recognize its usefulness as a tool for orientation and understanding and to lay the foundation for understanding how various branches of the knowledge. The Tree of Knowledge System invites us to explore and appreciate the diversity of human knowledge, to understand its underlying unity and to look for connections and synergies between different disciplines.