Webster's Dictionary defines "understand" as 1) grasp the meaning of; comprehend. Reviewing the question put forth before me, I decided the best way to fully describe what it means to understand was to by first look up the literal definition. Seeing as Webster's Dictionary's are used widely, this definition seems that it must be correct. But I was asked to describe what I think "to understand" means. Seeing as this is the case, leaving Webster's answer in place of my own would be an insufficient response. .
Through my experiences, in and out of the classroom, I have attempted to grasp the concept of understanding. To me understanding is the ability to be fully knowledgeable on a subject. I believe the best way to test an understanding of something is to see if the person/subject can explain what they say they understand to someone who has no knowledge on the subject. But can someone ever fully understand a subject or would it be impossible to get someone else to believe something in the same light as you? Understanding has personal preference to it, a slight prejudice brought about from a person's background and experiences. Because of these differences, I don't think there ever can be a perfect explanation to what "understanding" truly means. .
However, I have still left the question unanswered. My definition of "to understand" would have to be the ability for one to learn and fully comprehend, that is to be able to take in and remember for use later, the given information. After learning, the information one must prove that they actually do know what this means, that they actually do "understand" the information. They must perform this information in a different way than taught to them. For example, a math problem is performed for a class of students. To test and see if the students actually "understand" this problem, the same type, not the same one, one which the same ability is required.
If one reads Darwin's Natural Selection, several difficulties might follow if the reader does not understand the scientific terminology or biological concept. Understanding it requires a history in Biology, and some parts require one to possess a certain amount of knowledge to interpret it. Natural ...
I am positive that I can help promote sustainable development through a better understanding of ecotourism. First, through experiencing life in the United States I have a better understanding of our target market cultures (US tourists). ... Secondly, by means of understanding both my culture and US culture I will be more capable of developing ecotourism projects that meet international standards while being grounded in the local context of my country. ...
Their bond doesn't seem to be very strong, but by both having the obsession with finding and saving The Holy Grail form the Nazis, they develop an understanding of each other. ... Indiana grew up not understanding the importance and the reason of why his father was overly obsessed and mesmerized by this artifact. ... Indiana and Henry at the end of the film, gain a total understanding of one another. ...
What is the difference between knowing and understanding? ... I know what war is however I do not come anywhere near understanding war or the effects it has on those who have experienced it. ... The ability to learn allows us the capacity to know, but understanding is a human gift or curse. ... It is knowing that leads to understanding and understanding that leads to true knowledge....
Knowing and understanding religion can be a helpful way for business people to know where people are coming from. ... This is my lack of understanding of religion. ... Understanding religion cannot hurt but to improve ourselves to be better people. Teaching religion at the universities can open people's eyes in knowing where people stand and understanding each other's beliefs. ...
Norman conjures a profound understanding of the stages of life that had not occurred to him before. ... His understanding of natural order remains to be speckled with a misunderstanding of the river, and the word. ... To answer these questions, Norman peeks into his intuition and answers, "You could love someone without completely understanding." ...
It was quite hard understanding what the author was trying to get at during the duration of this excerpt. ... Self awareness is important because when we have a better understanding of ourselves, we are able to experience ourselves as unique and separate individuals. ... It was hard understanding how this type of awareness related to Buddhism. ... The hard thing about this is to think of these things in a more understanding way; a way in which you can open your eyes and see some people might be going through something much worse than you are. ...
The concern of students using calculators on tests due to their lack of understanding of the mathematical concepts is unwarranted. ... A calculator can be used to make sure the answer the student places is correct; and when they gain an understanding of the reason of their incorrect answer, they will be able to learn from their mistakes. ... Since a calculator is incapable of showing the process of deriving the answer, teachers can easily determine a student's understanding of a math problem if only an answer is placed without steps. ... Since calculators are lacking in showing work, th...
