Which of the following pairs are not correctly matched? I. Mathematical knowledge – posteriori II. Scientific knowledge – posteriori III. Logical knowledge – priori

Which of the following pairs are not correctly matched? I. Mathematical knowledge – posteriori II. Scientific knowledge – posteriori III. Logical knowledge – priori Correct Answer Only I

Three Divisions of Knowledge: Based on the way and manner in which it is obtained, knowledge can be classified under three heads:

• A Priori Knowledge: A priori knowledge is knowledge whose truth or falsity can be decided before or without recourse to experience (a priori means ‘before’). The knowledge that is prior has universal validity and once recognized as true (through the use of pure reason) does not require any further evidence. Logical and Mathematical truths are a priori in nature. They do not stand in need of empirical validations. It asserts that any justified assertion must be based on experience directly or indirectly. Even the axioms of mathematics and also first principles of logic are based on experience.
• A Posteriori Knowledge: A posteriori knowledge is knowledge-based upon observation and experience. This is the knowledge of the scientific method stressing accurate observation and exact descriptions. The propositions that fall under this category can be locked from the point of view of whether they contain any factual content and from the standpoint of the criteria employed for deciding their truth or falsity. For example, we have propositions like Ice melts, Snow is white, Metals conduct heat and electricity These propositions give us factual information whose truth or falsity can be decided only through observation and verification. These are called synthetic propositions.
• Experienced Knowledge: Experienced knowledge is always tentative and cannot exist prior to experience or be conducted from observation. It must be experienced to have value. Basic to the three types is propositional knowledge (a priori and a posteriori) and it is to this type that the structure of knowledge question is addressed. This has important implications for curriculum planning.