Ford Davies

Posted Wednesday, April 2, 2025

8mo

INTP

Aries

6

7

A Different Perspective of Understanding vs. Innerstanding:

Do you really know the difference between Understanding vs. Innerstanding: A Counterintuitive Approach Immediately addressing a very important and complex aspect of the "innerstanding" vs. "understanding" distinction. Philosophical Context: Philosophically, the concepts of "innerstanding" and "understanding" can be viewed through the lens of individual autonomy versus social conformity. This involves exploring the tension between: * Liberation vs. Subjugation: "Innerstanding" can be associated with liberation from external constraints, allowing for free exploration of personal truths, while "understanding" might be seen as more aligned with conforming to established social norms. * Autonomy vs. Constraint: "Innerstanding" emphasizes individual autonomy and self-directed exploration, whereas "understanding" might reflect a greater degree of constraint by societal expectations. * Inclusion vs. Exclusion: The tension between adhering to one's "innerstanding" and conforming to social norms can lead to feelings of either inclusion or exclusion. Essentially, the distinction boils down to the balance between individual authenticity and social acceptance. Furthermore, a strong adherence to one's "innerstanding" can create friction with those who seek to influence or control beliefs. This is because "innerstanding" often represents a deeply personal and internally validated form of knowing, making it resistant to external manipulation. Exploring the Nuances of Knowing: Now, let's delve into the subtle yet profound differences between "understanding" and "innerstanding," Starting with the less familiar term and its historical context. 1. Innerstanding: The Felt Sense of Knowing * "Innerstanding" suggests a deeper, intuitive, and experiential form of knowing. It transcends mere intellectual comprehension, tapping into emotional, spiritual, or embodied awareness. * It implies a connection to one's inner self, intuition, and a holistic perspective. * It's characterized by a "felt" knowing, rather than purely rational thought. * It often aligns with deeply personal truths and resonates with an individual's core. * It's closely associated with heightened self-awareness. A Distinction from Understanding: * "Understanding" emphasizes cognitive grasp, while "innerstanding" prioritizes intuitive, felt knowing. * "Understanding" relies on external information and logical reasoning; "innerstanding" arises from introspection, meditation, or personal experience. "Innerstanding" often carries a sense of certainty that defies logical explanation. This connection to intuition is central to its meaning. To help grasp this concept, consider these perspectives: Option 1 (Emphasizing the Non-Logical Certainty): * "Innerstanding" often carries a profound sense of certainty, a knowing that transcends logical explanation and aligns with intuitive insight. Option 2 (Directly Linking to Intuition): * "Innerstanding" is characterized by a certainty derived from intuition, a form of knowing that often defies logical analysis. Option 3 (Highlighting the "Felt" Aspect): * "Innerstanding" brings a felt sense of certainty, an intuitive knowing that exists beyond the realm of logical reasoning. Option 4 (Concise and Powerful): * "Innerstanding" delivers a certainty rooted in intuition, often beyond logic's grasp. Human Consciousness: "Innerstanding" aligns with concepts of higher consciousness or altered states, fostering a deeper connection to self and the universe. * It's linked to intuition, the ability to know without conscious reasoning. Conceptual and Perceptual Meaning: * Conceptually, it involves grasping abstract notions like love or interconnectedness on a profound, personal level. * Perceptually, it involves a heightened connection to sensory input, such as feeling the "energy" of a place or intuitively understanding another's emotions. 2. Understanding: The Cognitive Grasp * Understood (Past Participle of "Understand"): * Represents a passive state of having grasped or comprehended something. It signifies the result of a cognitive process. Example: "The complex problem was finally understood." * Understanding (Present Participle/Noun): * As a present participle, it describes the ongoing process of comprehending. * As a noun, it refers to the capacity to understand, a mental grasp. It can also signify a mutual agreement. Cognitive Process Conceptualization: Forming mental representations of ideas. * Analysis: Breaking down information into components. * Synthesis: Combining information into a coherent whole. * Interpretation: Assigning meaning based on prior knowledge and context. * Reasoning: Drawing logical conclusions. Grasping the Depths of Understanding: “A Tidal” Metaphor To better gauge the different levels of understanding, consider this analogy: Shallow Understanding (Low Tide): “limited” * Represents basic, superficial surface level knowledge. * Lacking depth and nuance. * Only perceiving the surface level of information. Deep Understanding (Higher Tides): “Vastness” * Encompasses greater depth and volume of knowledge. * Involves grasping underlying principles, connections, and effects. * Enables exploration of complexities and hidden dimensions. * Represents a comprehensive understanding of the movement and interplay of conditions, revealing deeper insights beneath the surface. Tacit Understanding: * Knowledge held without explicit articulation. * "Knowing without knowing" in a conscious, verbal sense. * Understanding that exists beyond spoken language. Perceptual Meaning: * "Insight in mind" derived from sensory input. * The brain's ability to process and interpret sensory data, assigning meaning to it. 3. Disappearance from Common Use: "Innerstanding" has never been a widely accepted or standardized term in formal English. Areas where Innerstanding has primarily existed: * Spiritual and New Age circles: Where it is used to describe a deeper, intuitive form of knowing. * Certain subcultures and philosophical discussions: Where it is used to emphasize the importance of subjective experience. * Innerstanding is used in some forms of alternative medicine, and philosophy. Reasons for Limited Use: The term "innerstanding" remains outside mainstream vocabulary due to several factors: * Lack of Formal Definition and Standardization: Its meaning extends beyond easily measurable or tangible concepts, making it difficult to define within a strictly empirical framework. * Subjective and Mystical Connotations: Its association with personal experience and intuitive knowing often clashes with mainstream emphasis on objective, verifiable knowledge. The term can be associated with "psychic realms" or other ideas that are not widely accepted in a strictly scientific context. * Dominance of Rational and Objective Approaches: Mainstream culture generally prioritizes logical reasoning and empirical evidence, leaving less room for subjective, intuitive forms of knowing. A word is often replaced or simply discarded. 4. Additional Content and Examples: * Example from Spiritual Context: "After years of meditation, she didn't just understand the concept of interconnectedness; she innerstood it on a profound level." Example from Personal Experience: * "He didn't need someone to explain the grief; he innerstood it through his own experience." Connection to Intuition: * Innerstanding can be seen as a form of heightened intuition, where the mind processes information beyond conscious awareness. Connection to Embodied Cognition: * Embodied cognition suggests that cognition is deeply intertwined with bodily experience. Innerstanding can be seen as a form of knowing that arises from this embodied connection. Back to the start of revealing those distinctions between "innerstanding" vs. "understanding". Philosophical Context: Philosophically, the concepts of "innerstanding" and "understanding" can be viewed through the lens of individual autonomy versus social conformity. This involves exploring the tension between: * Liberation vs. Subjugation: "Innerstanding" can be associated with liberation from external constraints, allowing for free exploration of personal truths, while "understanding" might be seen as more aligned with conforming to established social norms. * Autonomy vs. Constraint: "innerstanding" emphasizes individual autonomy and self-directed exploration, whereas "understanding" might reflect a greater degree of constraint by societal expectations. * Inclusion vs. Exclusion: The tension between adhering to one's "innerstanding" and conforming to social norms can lead to feelings of either inclusion or exclusion. Essentially, the distinction boils down to the balance between individual authenticity and social acceptance. Furthermore, a strong adherence to one's "innerstanding" can create friction with those who seek to influence or control beliefs. This is because "innerstanding" often represents a deeply personal and internally validated form of knowing, making it resistant to external manipulation. * Some philosophical traditions, particularly those emphasizing subjective experience and phenomenology, might resonate with the concept of innerstanding. In essence, while "understanding" emphasizes cognitive grasp, "innerstanding" suggests a deeper, more intuitive, and often experiential form of knowing. While not a standard term, it highlights the importance of subjective experience and the limitations of purely rational approaches to knowledge.