How do we know what we know?

There are essentially two ways of obtaining information: testimony and direct experience.

Information about historical events is available only through testimony. If an event occurs while I'm present, I may experience it directly at the time. From that point on, I know it only through the testimony of memory. Other kinds of information in this category include cultural knowledge, identity, political ideas, political boundaries, and so forth.

What can be known through direct experience are ideas like two plus two equals four. If I hold up two fingers on my left hand and two fingers on my right hand and count the total number of fingers I'm holding up, I always get four. This kind of information reflects universal aspects of reality that are always available to be observed. The structure of experience is observable in this way. As long as consciousness is present, the structure of experience is available to be examined.

All I can do with information received through testimony is believe it or disbelieve it. I may doubt it or take it on faith, but there's generally no way for me to verify testimonial information in my own experience.

On the other hand, since information from direct experience is universal and always available for examination, it can be known directly, without need for belief, doubt, or faith. If I wonder whether two plus two still equals four, I can always perform the finger experiment described above to check for myself. So I don't have to wonder whether non-duality's claims about reality are "true" or not. The structure of experience is always available for examination.

So nothing said here should be taken on faith. If anything said here disagrees with your experience, go with your experience.

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