Knowledge vs. Science — What's the Difference?

A broad understanding that encompasses facts, information, and skills.

A disciplined way of studying the natural world through observation and experiment.

Acquired through experience, education, or learning.

Involves formulating hypotheses, conducting experiments, and drawing conclusions.

Varies among cultures and societies.

Aims to produce reliable, objective knowledge about how the world works.

Can be theoretical (know-why) or practical (know-how).

Builds on previous findings and is subject to peer review.

Involves awareness or familiarity gained by experience.

Utilizes scientific methods to ensure reproducibility and reliability.

Knowledge is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or something, such as facts (descriptive knowledge), skills (procedural knowledge), or objects (acquaintance knowledge). By most accounts, knowledge can be acquired in many different ways and from many sources, including but not limited to perception, reason, memory, testimony, scientific inquiry, education, and practice.

(Archaic) Knowledge, especially that gained through experience.

Facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject

Science (from Latin scientia 'knowledge') is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.The earliest roots of science can be traced to Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia in around 3000 to 1200 BCE. Their contributions to mathematics, astronomy, and medicine entered and shaped Greek natural philosophy of classical antiquity, whereby formal attempts were made to provide explanations of events in the physical world based on natural causes. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, knowledge of Greek conceptions of the world deteriorated in Western Europe during the early centuries (400 to 1000 CE) of the Middle Ages, but was preserved in the Muslim world during the Islamic Golden Age.

Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation

The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena

The state or fact of knowing

Such activities restricted to a class of natural phenomena

Familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study

A systematic method or body of knowledge in a given area

The sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned

(countable) A particular discipline or branch of learning, especially one dealing with measurable or systematic principles rather than intuition or natural ability.

(Archaic) Carnal knowledge.

Specifically the natural sciences.

The fact of knowing about something; general understanding or familiarity with a subject, place, situation etc.

Knowledge gained through study or practice; mastery of a particular discipline or area.

Awareness of a particular fact or situation; a state of having been informed or made aware of something.

The fact of knowing something; knowledge or understanding of a truth.

Intellectual understanding; the state of appreciating truth or information.

(uncountable) The collective discipline of study or learning acquired through the scientific method; the sum of knowledge gained from such methods and discipline.

Familiarity or understanding of a particular skill, branch of learning etc.

(uncountable) Knowledge derived from scientific disciplines, scientific method, or any systematic effort.

(philosophical) Justified true belief

The scientific community.

(obsolete) Information or intelligence about something; notice.

Synonym of sweet science

The total of what is known; all information and products of learning.

Obsolete spelling of scion

(countable) Something that can be known; a branch of learning; a piece of information; a science.

To cause to become versed in science; to make skilled; to instruct.

(obsolete) Acknowledgement.

To use science to solve a problem.

(obsolete) Notice, awareness.

Knowledge; knowledge of principles and causes; ascertained truth of facts.

The deep familiarity with certain routes and places of interest required by taxicab drivers working in London, England.

Accumulated and established knowledge, which has been systematized and formulated with reference to the discovery of general truths or the operation of general laws; knowledge classified and made available in work, life, or the search for truth; comprehensive, profound, or philosophical knowledge.

(obsolete) To confess as true; to acknowledge.

Especially, such knowledge when it relates to the physical world and its phenomena, the nature, constitution, and forces of matter, the qualities and functions of living tissues, etc.; - called also natural science, and physical science.

The act or state of knowing; clear perception of fact, truth, or duty; certain apprehension; familiar cognizance; cognition.

Any branch or department of systematized knowledge considered as a distinct field of investigation or object of study; as, the science of astronomy, of chemistry, or of mind.

That which is or may be known; the object of an act of knowing; a cognition; - chiefly used in the plural.

Art, skill, or expertness, regarded as the result of knowledge of laws and principles.

That which is gained and preserved by knowing; instruction; acquaintance; enlightenment; learning; scholarship; erudition.

To cause to become versed in science; to make skilled; to instruct.

That familiarity which is gained by actual experience; practical skill; as, a knowledge of life.

A particular branch of scientific knowledge;

Scope of information; cognizance; notice; as, it has not come to my knowledge.

Ability to produce solutions in some problem domain;

To acknowledge.

The psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning

Yes, knowledge can be non-scientific, encompassing areas like art, literature, and personal or cultural beliefs that may not rely on empirical evidence.

Yes, all scientific understanding and discoveries are considered part of the broader realm of human knowledge, but not all knowledge is scientific.

Science is defined by its systematic approach to building and organizing knowledge about the universe through testable explanations, predictions, and empirical evidence.

Scientific knowledge is verified through empirical evidence, experimentation, peer review, and the reproducibility of results.

Knowledge encompasses the information, understanding, and skills that an individual acquires through experience, education, or learning, covering a wide range of subjects and areas.

Intuition can play a role in knowledge by providing insights or understandings that are not derived from rational processes, though such knowledge may not be empirically verifiable.

Scientific research builds on existing knowledge by testing hypotheses within the framework of established theories, leading to new insights, discoveries, and the expansion of scientific understanding.

Knowledge is a broader concept that includes all types of understanding and skills, while science is a specific domain within knowledge that focuses on discovering truths about the natural world through systematic and empirical methods.

Personal experiences contribute to an individual's knowledge, adding to their understanding, skills, and perceptions, although this form of knowledge may be subjective.

Cultures influence knowledge by shaping beliefs, practices, and understandings that are passed down through generations, contributing to the diversity of human knowledge.

Yes, scientific knowledge can change as new evidence emerges, leading to the refinement or revision of existing theories or the development of new ones.

Practical knowledge (know-how) is related to skills and the application of knowledge in real-world tasks, while theoretical knowledge (know-why) involves understanding principles and theories that explain phenomena.

Peer review plays a critical role in science by ensuring that research is scrutinized by experts in the field, thereby maintaining the quality, credibility, and reliability of scientific knowledge.

Empirical evidence is crucial in science as it provides the objective basis for testing theories, validating results, and advancing scientific understanding.

Science and knowledge contribute to society by enhancing our understanding of the world, informing decision-making, driving technological and medical advancements, and improving quality of life.