(k)Now-how

It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.

–Sun Tzu

How does one know, exactly? There is knowledge that __, e.g. 1+1=2. There is knowledge of __, e.g. “I know I left my glasses somewhere.” Knowing that and knowing of are somewhat easily written out and studied.

Then there is knowledge how __. General Sun was referring to the peril of not knowing the how of his enemies/himself. He referred to what know-how is not in attempting to describe what it is.

Know-how can be difficult to pin down. It is implied or inferred in the result of doing.

Perhaps the best way to judge another’s know-how is to ask the question, “Can you show me?”

“Showing how” is “doing now.”

Related articles

• Sun Zi: Military Strategist and Author of ‘The Art of War’ (theepochtimes.com)

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