Types of Knowledge

Epistemology is the study of knowledge. It is concerned with the nature, structure and origin of knowledge. The following are some forms of knowledge.
Causal Knowledge is the understanding of the underlying cause and effect of various aspects of life.
Procedural knowledge is the knowledge of how to do something like making a cup of coffee.
Declarative knowledge refers to knowledge being expressed as a declarative statement.
Tacit knowledge is also known as the unconscious knowledge since it cannot be expressed very specifically in words. For example, how to ride a bicycle or a horse is something one may know but find difficult to explain.
Deep knowledge is acquired by exhaustive study and understanding of a subject. Usually, it is restricted to one or two domains of knowledge as it is not possible for a single person to study all the different areas learning.
Shallow knowledge is based on superficial or an empirical understanding of a subject.
Heuristic knowledge is a type of shallow knowledge. It is conscious of various rules of thumb based on first-hand experience. They aid in solving problems but there is no guarantee that they will succeed. It is in areas such as medicine and practical engineering that heuristics play a useful role in problem solving

Human Memory

There are three basic activities associated with human memory viz. receiving new data from the environment followed by its processing and conversion into usable information within the brain; storing this information in the memory; and retrieving it as and when required.

Humans have three forms of memory. One is the immediate memory. Here one retains all details of an object or a scene or a picture for about 1/10th of a second like a batsman facing a ball. After that much is forgotten. Next is the short term memory where information is retained for a few minutes only. This memory is also known as working memory and has a limited capacity. It is also used for rehearsal, i.e. for mentally repeating the information over and over again so that it enters the long term memory.

The information which is stored in the long term memory can be broadly classified into four categories. First is the information related to specific tasks, which include riding a horse or a bicycle, driving a car, typing, painting, etc. These skills often require several years of experience to perfect. Secondly, the information related to fear-inspired actions like being bitten by a dog, getting hurt due to falling, getting a fire burn, etc. By proper training one can prepare oneself to take specific actions under difficult circumstances or emergency conditions. Third is ‘Episodic memory’, in which information regarding dated episodes or personal experiences is stored date-wise. Finally, the ‘Semantic memory’, relates to the use of words, grammar, metaphors, and all other details of language. However, these different groupings are conceptual in nature and no specific region of the brain as such is reserved for these categories.