knowledges

Knowledges is the plural form of knowledge and is sometimes used to refer to multiple knowledge traditions or systems held by different communities or disciplines. While knowledge is often treated as an uncountable concept, the plural knowledges highlights diversity across cultures and fields, such as scientific knowledge, indigenous knowledges, and local knowledges.

Types of knowledge include propositional knowledge (knowing that something is true), procedural knowledge (knowing how to do something), and experiential or know-how knowledge (knowing through experience or acquaintance).

Sources and validation: Knowledge is acquired through education, research, observation, practice, and social transmission. The criteria for justification vary by domain: empirical evidence and reproducibility in science; tradition, testimony, and communal oversight in other knowledge systems. Indigenous and local knowledges often integrate practical methods with cultural meaning and ecological understanding.

Limitations and debates: Knowledge is fallible and contingent. Epistemic limits, biases, and power dynamics influence what counts as knowledge, how it is produced, and who has access to it. Ongoing dialogue across knowledges can improve understanding but may also raise conflicts about legitimacy and ownership.

See also: knowledge; epistemology; indigenous knowledge systems; cultural heritage.