Knowing that is propositional knowledge, knowing how is practical knowledge or ability, and knowing what identifies or understands the nature of something. However, knowing what is often expressible as knowing that, so these categories can overlap.
The Three Types of Knowledge
| Type | Meaning and example |
|---|---|
| Knowing that | Knowledge that a proposition is true: “I know that water freezes at zero degrees Celsius.” It can be evaluated as true or false and is commonly analysed through conditions such as belief, truth, and justification. |
| Knowing how | Knowledge involved in performing an activity: “I know how to ride a bicycle.” It may be demonstrated through successful action even when the person cannot fully state the relevant rules. |
| Knowing what | Knowledge identifying, defining, or recognizing something: “I know what justice means” or “I know what caused the accident.” It concerns an object, concept, explanation, or answer to a “what” question. |
The distinction between knowing that and knowing how is associated with Gilbert Ryle. Ryle challenged the idea that intelligent action must always result from first applying propositional rules. A skilled cyclist, for example, may know how to balance without being able to explain the physics involved.
Knowing what is less clearly a separate epistemological category. “I know what caused the accident” can usually be reformulated as “I know that faulty brakes caused the accident.” Knowing what may therefore be a grammatical form of propositional knowledge rather than a completely independent type.
A common misconception is that knowing how never involves knowing that. In practice, practical knowledge and propositional knowledge often support each other: a pianist may possess both the ability to play and factual knowledge about musical notation.
Exam Technique
In an IB Philosophy response, define each category, provide a distinct example, and evaluate whether the categories are genuinely independent. For stronger analysis, use Ryle to challenge the reduction of knowing how to knowing that, while explaining why knowing what often overlaps with propositional knowledge.
