Cognition is a specific genushuman activities. It is directed to the comprehension by man of himself and the world around him. The acquisition of knowledge is carried out by people of two main means. The first is labor. Thus, a person gets practical knowledge. The second is the spiritual method. Within its framework, the cognitive process and the knowledge gained during the historical development of self-knowledge and practice are embodied in different forms.
For every form of social consciousness(philosophy, science, politics, mythology, religion, etc.) correspond to special types of knowledge. Among them should be highlighted the mythological, playful, everyday, philosophical. There is also an artistic, personal, scientific knowledge.
Each species has its own characteristics. However, in the conditions of the modern world, the question of what scientific knowledge is, interests researchers more than other questions.
The essence of this type of perception of information isin a reliable generalization of the available facts. Scientific knowledge behind the casual sees the natural and necessary, and reveals the common in the individual. His task is to discover the objective laws of the real world: social, natural, laws of thought and self-knowledge. In this regard, scientific knowledge is focused mainly on the essential characteristics of the object, the general properties and their expression in an abstract system. It seeks to reveal the objective, necessary connections that are fixed in the form of laws. If it is not, then there is no science itself. The specificity of scientific knowledge provides for the discovery of laws and in-depth study of phenomena.
Highest value and immediate goalconsidered objective truth. It is comprehended mainly by rational ways and means, not without the participation, of course, of natural observation. Scientific knowledge involves the elimination of subjectivist moments (if possible), which ensures the "purity" of the consideration of the subject. Thus, science provides a true reflection of phenomena, forms an objective picture of what is happening. At the same time, the activity of the subject, which is a prerequisite and condition for the comprehension of truth, is also of no small importance.
More than other forms of knowledge science is focused onpractical implementation. Thus, it becomes in some way a “guide to action” on transformations in the surrounding reality and regulation of real processes. With the help of scientific knowledge, opportunities are opening up not only for foresight, but also for the conscious formation of the future.
Modern science has significantfeature. This feature is manifested in the ability to predetermine the practice. Many modern production processes originated in laboratories. Thus, science today is capable not only of meeting the needs of production, but is often a prerequisite for technological progress.
In epistemological terms, scientific knowledgeis a contradictory and complex process. In the course of this process, not only the reproduction and fixation of information takes place, but also the formation of systems of information elements in accordance with certain principles, norms, rules.
The acquisition of scientific knowledge is not withoutuse of specific material means (tools, instruments, other equipment). At the same time, various methods and means are used for studying, such as, for example, mathematics, modern logic, dialectics, and others.
Scientific knowledge does not exist withoutevidence, validity, reliability of the findings and results. However, at the same time, the study involves the construction of guesses, assumptions, hypotheses.
Modern methodology identifies variouscriteria for scientific knowledge. These, besides those mentioned above, should also include internal systemism, formal consistency, reproducibility, freedom from bias, openness for criticism, rigor.
