--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we have a better understanding of…" description: "\"If we have a better understanding of knowledge than we do of such justification or competence, then we can explain the latter through the former.\" — Er..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/ernest-sosa-12656_competence_if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-kno_2536404.jpg" --- # If we have a better understanding of knowledge than we do… ![“If we have a better understanding of knowledge than we do of such justification or competence, then we can explain the latter through the former.” quote by Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/ernest-sosa-12656_competence_if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-kno_2536404.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/ernest-sosa-12656_competence_if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-kno_2536404.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/ernest-sosa-12656_competence_if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-kno_2536404.jpg) > “If we have a better understanding of knowledge than we do of such justification or competence, then we can explain the latter through the former.” [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding knowledge better than justification allows us to explain justification through knowledge, linking epistemic concepts **In simple terms:** Knowledge can explain why we justify beliefs Key Takeaway Use knowledge to clarify reasoning processes Themes epistemology justification knowledge Mood analytical thoughtful Type academic theoretical When to use this quote - academic research - critical thinking - teaching Key Concepts philosophy theory of truth Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect everyday decision‑making? - Can knowledge truly replace justification? A Different Perspective Complex concepts may be hard to apply practically ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Understanding knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding-knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [For years I have told my students that I been trying to train executives rather than clerks. The distinction between the two is parallel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-quigley/for-years-i-have-told-my-students-that-i-been-trying-to-train/) [Carroll Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-quigley/) > [Hire and promote first on the basis of integrity; second, motivation; third, capacity; fourth, understanding; fifth, knowledge; and last and least, experience. Without integrity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/hire-and-promote-first-on-the-basis-of-integrity-second-motivation/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [Through art mysterious bonds of understanding and of knowledge are established among men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/through-art-mysterious-bonds-of-understanding-and-of-knowledge-are/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Understanding the knowledge and wisdom of the Qur'an is by far, higher than memorizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/understanding-the-knowledge-and-wisdom-of-the-qur-an-is-by-far-higher/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [“Truth ain't be in secret site to be found. It lies within certain levels of understanding and knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/truth-ain-t-be-in-secret-site-to-be-found-it-lies-within-certain/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [When children are truly involved in the scientific process they gain understanding, knowledge, and life skills. They deepen their awareness of what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-katz/when-children-are-truly-involved-in-the-scientific-process-they-gain/) [Lilian Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-katz/) > [“Knowledge makes you knowledgable, understanding knowledge makes you intelligent, using knowledge efficiently makes you smart, but only kindness makes you truly wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-ch-vere/knowledge-makes-you-knowledgable-understanding-knowledge-makes-you/) Ricardo Chévere > [here is a great difference between knowing a thing and understanding it. You can know a lot and not really understand anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/here-is-a-great-difference-between-knowing-a-thing-and-understanding/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [Grant, Goddess, thy protection, And in protection, strength, And in strength, understanding, And in understanding, knowledge, And in knowledge the knowledge of justice, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iolo-morganwg/grant-goddess-thy-protection-and-in-protection-strength-and-in/) Iolo Morganwg > [Knowledge is an addiction, as drink; knowledge does not bring understanding. Knowledge can be taught, but not wisdom; there must be freedom from knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/knowledge-is-an-addiction-as-drink-knowledge-does-not-bring/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [We have the ability to be the ocean. And access all that infinite possibility, understanding, knowledge, awareness. Or we can get caught up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/we-have-the-ability-to-be-the-ocean-and-access-all-that-infinite/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [Given its more substantial aim, a judgment is apt only if its constitutive alethic affirmation is not only apt but aptly apt. The subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/given-its-more-substantial-aim-a-judgment-is-apt-only-if-its/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Success is better than failure; an attempt is a better attempt, it is better as an attempt, if competent than if incompetent; and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/success-is-better-than-failure-an-attempt-is-a-better-attempt-it-is/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [If a shot aimed at aptness succeeds aptly, it is then fully apt, since it is not only apt but also aptly apt. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-a-shot-aimed-at-aptness-succeeds-aptly-it-is-then-fully-apt-since/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [When you dream, your perceptual (and other) competence is affected. You are then unable to get it right competently with the beliefs in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/when-you-dream-your-perceptual-and-other-competence-is-affected-you/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) ## More by Ernest Sosa > [Philosophers need not much use the word 'intuition' or the concept of intuition, except when they happen to be working on the epistemology of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/philosophers-need-not-much-use-the-word-intuition-or-the-concept-of/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [When you dream, your perceptual (and other) competence is affected. You are then unable to get it right competently with the beliefs in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/when-you-dream-your-perceptual-and-other-competence-is-affected-you/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Ultimately, my more significant agreement is with a virtue tradition that features Aristotle and Descartes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/ultimately-my-more-significant-agreement-is-with-a-virtue-tradition/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [It is bad to want something that not even God could attain, especially when the impossibility becomes obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/it-is-bad-to-want-something-that-not-even-god-could-attain-especially/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [I am mainly concerned with unqualified knowledge, by contrast with the varieties of expert knowledge: scientific knowledge of various sorts, legal knowledge, medically expert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/i-am-mainly-concerned-with-unqualified-knowledge-by-contrast-with-the/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [If a shot aimed at aptness succeeds aptly, it is then fully apt, since it is not only apt but also aptly apt. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-a-shot-aimed-at-aptness-succeeds-aptly-it-is-then-fully-apt-since/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [It is also certain that when we assent to some piece of reasoning when our perception of it is lacking, then either we go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/it-is-also-certain-that-when-we-assent-to-some-piece-of-reasoning/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [We need some standard that will determine how likely a belief is to be true given just that it is stored in one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/we-need-some-standard-that-will-determine-how-likely-a-belief-is-to/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Descartes's epistemology is a special case of Aristotle's virtue ethics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/descartes-s-epistemology-is-a-special-case-of-aristotle-s-virtue/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [There isn't a formal definition of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/there-isn-t-a-formal-definition-of-success/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Success is better than failure; an attempt is a better attempt, it is better as an attempt, if competent than if incompetent; and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/success-is-better-than-failure-an-attempt-is-a-better-attempt-it-is/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Judgment is affirmation with the intention to thereby affirm competently enough, and indeed aptly. That distinguishes judgments from mere guesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/judgment-is-affirmation-with-the-intention-to-thereby-affirm/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Any defense of common sense must allow that it is revisable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/any-defense-of-common-sense-must-allow-that-it-is-revisable/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Given its more substantial aim, a judgment is apt only if its constitutive alethic affirmation is not only apt but aptly apt. The subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/given-its-more-substantial-aim-a-judgment-is-apt-only-if-its/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [We can pursue the Cartesian project without restricting ourselves to theology and a priori faculties. A better, broader perspective is properly sought if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/we-can-pursue-the-cartesian-project-without-restricting-ourselves-to/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) [Explore all 54 Ernest Sosa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) ## More Competence quotes > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“You understand how much you know about a subject the moment you give explanations to someone who doesn't know anything about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigina-sgarro/you-understand-how-much-you-know-about-a-subject-the-moment-you-give/) [Luigina Sgarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigina-sgarro/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [“it is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-buren/it-is-easier-to-do-a-job-right-than-to-explain-why-you-didnt/) [Martin Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-buren/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Friendships are nice. So is competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/friendships-are-nice-so-is-competence/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-trump-administration-steve/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Great writers zealously learn the craft of their profession so they can release the power and the depth of their imagination and experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/great-writers-zealously-learn-the-craft-of-their-profession-so-they/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) Browse all 452 Competence quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we have a better understanding of knowledge than we do of such justification or competence, then we can explain the latter through the former.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Sosa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-knowledge-than-we-do-of-such/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Competence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-knowledge-than-we-do-of-such/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/ernest-sosa-12656_competence_if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-kno_2536404.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/ernest-sosa-12656_competence_if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-kno_2536404.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/ernest-sosa-12656_competence_if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-kno_2536404.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we have a better understanding of knowledge than we do of such justification or competence, then we can…” — Ernest Sosa", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ernest Sosa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we have a better understanding...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-knowledge-than-we-do-of-such/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-we-have-a-better-understanding-of-knowledge-than-we-do-of-such/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```