The Essence Of Human Knowledge, And Its Relationship With OCD

Introduction

Socrates said, “I know that I know nothing”. While the statement may sound weird and misleading, what Socrates said is the only truth available to us human beings.

The Truth About Human Brain

Our brains aren’t interested in capturing reality as accurately as possible. Instead, our brains interpret reality the way that maximizes our chances of survival. Therefore, any visual stimulus we see, any auditory stimulus we hear and any olfactory stimulus we smell doesn’t have to be the reality itself. Our brains create an image of reality and shows it to us, so that we can have a better chance of surviving and producing offspring.

A Relationship With OCD

People with OCD often search for absolute certainty. They desire to have an accurate understanding of how their cognition works. They try to remember every single step of their cognitive process. However, this is a dream that cannot come true. Any human knowledge isn’t a solid entity that is intrinsically related to reality. It is a fleeting image that the brain created in order to make the daunting task of survival easier.