Contextual knowledge refers to the understanding and information that is relevant to a specific situation or environment, often integrating various factors such as cultural, temporal, and situational elements to enhance the applicability and effectiveness of knowledge in that particular context.

Key Insights

• Contextualist Theory of Knowledge Ascriptions:

  • This theory pairs a contextualist approach to knowledge ascriptions with a non-contextual definition of knowledge, emphasizing that knowledge is infallible belief
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  • The distinction between the truth conditions of a knowledge ascription and the criteria for knowledge is crucial for maintaining the principle that knowledge is infallible belief while acknowledging that we know a lot
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• Influence of Contextual Factors on Knowledge Reuse:

  • Contextual factors such as purpose, time pressure, language, accessibility, author, and date significantly influence the effectiveness of knowledge reuse
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  • A mismatch in purpose between knowledge creation and reuse can reduce effectiveness, while time pressures and unfamiliar language can lead to errors and misinterpretations
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• Sequential Decision-Making and Contextual Knowledge:

  • Contextual knowledge in declarative forms can improve the performance of sequential decision-making (SDM) methods, although it may be incomplete or inaccurate
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  • The PERIL algorithm demonstrates the ability to learn from interaction experience to reason about contextual knowledge, particularly in urban driving scenarios
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Conclusion

Contextual knowledge is essential for enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of information in specific situations. It involves understanding the interplay of various contextual factors and applying this knowledge to improve decision-making, knowledge reuse, and other cognitive processes.