Benedicto Pintor, Jr.

Mater Salutis College Seminary

Epistemology

1. On the nature of object of knowing

a. Nothing comes into the mind without passing through the senses. After birth, there is
no such thing as innate knowledge. Each man is a blank sheet of paper that needs to
be filled. Now, each man was created by God with senses that helps him to grasp
things and know things. By way of abstraction, man is able grasp the material thing in
reality and is able to put its essence in his mind and which is now called immaterial.
What I know now is no longer the object of the past but only the representation of
what the mind presents it to be which is called abstracted representation.

b. There is a significant difference between malaman or kilala for man has a distinct
notion between knowing and to know. Knowing means that the person has partly
experienced the presence of the thing. And it is the continuous process of further
knowing. But to know on the other hand, means that the person seeks to fully know
the object. So the difference between the two is that: kilala is to recognize an object
while malaman is to know per se.

2. On the significance or importance of human knowledge

a. Yes, we are limited and imperfect because we are bound by time and space and our
capacity to know is limited by our being human, that is, our sense cognition.
However, despite our imperfection it does not mean that we cannot know true
knowledge. Thus, it is not useless to know things more than what our sense
knowledge presents and we can be certain in our knowledge by continuous grasping
of truthful knowledge. So in my opinion, that our imperfection and limitedness is not
a hindrance to gain true and certain knowledge.
 b. The example that was given was not true for knowledge does not only consist in the
totality. For a man can know something even when not all the information was given.
I can know something even when not all the information has been given as long as I
was given a little information I know a certain knowledge even if it is not the total
knowledge. Now I will use the example that states that in order to know MSCS, I do
not need to fully know about it. But the little knowledge I know about MSCS gives
me knowledge about it but this knowledge is not complete and enough for me to
know the totality of MSCS.

3. On immediate and mediate knowledge

a. I agree with Thomas Aquinas that nothing comes into the mind without being
processed by the sense faculties. Moreover, there no such thing as an apriori. One
theory of knowledge suggests that man was born without knowledge. It is through his
sense experiences that he gains knowledge about things around him. His senses
present his experiences to his intellect and it becomes a part of his sense memory.
This means that man is a rational being that can learn from the acts that he commits
and he is accountable for his actions. His past experiences can help him learn from his
past mistakes with the help of his senses and acts he can truly know his essence.

b. Man, in his limited reason, is able to know God. However, God reveals Himself in
order that man may know Him without error. By means of looking at His creation, we
may know God. With regards to angels and other invisible realities we rely on God’s
divine revelation as the foundation of our knowledge.