The human experience is one of the most essential form of knowledge. This is because as humans most of our actions and decisions are often a reaction. This only means we are greatly influenced by factors beyond our control.

Experience as a concept simply means, knowledge, skills, or understanding one gain through direct exposure to, or involvement in an event, or situation. Experience has a lot to do with subjective knowledge, and very little to do with objective truth.

The concept experience is a very complex subject matter, because at what point does something classify as experience? Does experience have to actively pass through the sense organs to be classified as experience?

If this is the case, then what about dreams? What about instinct? Even though they are greatly influenced by the senses, and memory, do they also classify as experience? Yes, of course they are. This is why experience is a subjective form of knowledge because it is influenced by the human personal biases, beliefs, and limitations.

When one talk about the difference between learning from one’s experience and mirroring one’s experience, what does that mean?

Given that the human experience is essential for human survival, because it serves as a form of reminder, shaped from past events. It is also important to recognize the human limitations, and not be rigid in one’s dealings.

Most individuals just act according to past experience, with no room for development. They are rigid in their dealings even in the face of conflicting data. This could lead to dogma. Experience are there, so one could learn from them, not so one could mirror them. The latter could do more harm than good, because it would have only succeeded in caging the mind of an individual, leaving no room for advancement, and creativity.

Learn from the past, but not be the past.

©️ Victor E. Ojei, 2025.

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