Unity of knowledge and action

The unity of knowledge and action (Chinese: 知行合一) is a concept in philosophy created by Wang Yangming. It means that knowledge and action should go together and help each other. This idea says that only by behaving well can someone become wise.

Overview

In Chinese philosophy, knowledge and action were traditionally seen as related but distinct. Wang argued there was no difference between them. He thought that knowledge was knowing how to act in a situation, based on his ideas about people and their innate knowledge. He also believed that the world was always changing, rather than staying the same.

History

Wang Yangming developed the concept during the Ming dynasty. in response to a disagreement with the teachings of Zhu Xi.

Wang Yangming disagreed with the teachings of Zhu Xi. Zhu Xi encouraged students to study in two parts, one theoretical and one practical. Wang believed this approach made people ineffective.

Application

Western philosophers talk about akrasia, which is when someone does something they know is wrong on purpose. But Wang disagrees. He says that just saying you know something is wrong isn't enough. You have to actually act on what you know for it to count. For example, if a student cheats on a test but says cheating is wrong, Wang would say they don't really understand what they're saying.

See also

• Unity of Heaven and humanity
• Unity of religion and rule
• Virtue epistemology