“Knowledge is power.
Information is liberating.
Education is the premise of progress,
in every society, in every family.”
—Kofi Annan, Former Secretary General of the UN
Knowledge is awareness of knowing about ‘what, why, when, where and how’ of anything. It is power. Power is of two kinds: one physical and the other intellectual. The physical powers include strength and skill to do things, to perform acts and to produce goods. The intellectual powers include recall, recognition, retention, reasoning, imagination and curiosity. Knowledge of how to use these powers makes man the unique being. Knowledge comes by seeing, listening, understanding, desiring, planning, working and achieving. So knowledge helps an individual not only to desire but also to achieve what he desires.
Human beings are physically weaker than animals, yet they have managed to become the most powerful creatures on the Earth. This is because they get powered more by knowledge and not depend on the physical strength. Human beings are clever creatures. They have the ability to acquire knowledge, preserve their knowledge, research and experiences in the books in order to pass these onto the new generations. Knowledge gives them power to control the forces of nature and then use them for their benefit.
Man, since his early existence on this planet, has been in the quest of knowledge continuously. It was on account of his curiosity and desire to acquire knowledge of facts that the civilisation has developed to its current state. Man had been living naked just like other animals, roaming in forests, hunting for food, looking for caves for shelter, in the early stages of his evolution.
Knowledge sharpens the mind and intelligence, which further builds on the quest and desire for adventure and investigation. This is seen in man’s efforts to setting foot on other planets. He has gone and come back from the moon. He is now exploring the other planets. All this became possible because of his knowledge of science and technology.
Man has harnessed electricity to meet his needs. There is no area in which he does not use it—agriculture, transport, medicine, factories, and for his comfort, etc. He has already started working on non-conventional energies. One does not know where he will find his ultimate goal in his quest for more. The more knowledge he acquires the more avenues open up before him to be explored.
Muscle power was the law of the jungle. Today it is knowledge of use of technology that rules the world. The Second World War came to an end on account of the atom bomb only. Scientific knowledge alone guides the systems of today and they only would decide the fate of the world. Hence, if power is to be acquired it is possible only through knowledge of things. It is agreed that knowledge is power as it enables an individual to have superiority over others.