Tacit knowledge

Tacit knowledge is the kind of knowledge that people learn through personal experience and practice, not from reading a book or hearing a lecture.^[1] It is often hard to explain with words because it is deeply connected to things we feel, sense, or do without always thinking about them. For example, knowing how to ride a bike, cook the perfect meal, or sense when a friend is upset are all forms of tacit knowledge. You might be very good at something, but not be able to clearly explain how you do it, that is what makes tacit knowledge so unique.^[2] This kind of knowledge is different from explicit knowledge, which can be written down or shown in diagrams, instructions, or videos. Tacit knowledge usually cannot be shared that way. Instead, people learn it by watching others, practicing, and spending time in real situations.^[3] This is why things like apprenticeships, internships, and hands-on training are so important. For example, a student learning from a chef in a kitchen or a mechanic in a garage is picking up more than just facts, they are learning techniques, timing, and judgment by doing and observing.^[4]

Riding a bicycle is an example of tacit knowledge

Tacit knowledge includes both thinking and doing. It involves the brain’s ability to recognize patterns, control the body, and respond emotionally or intuitively. Scientists say this type of knowledge is stored in brain areas related to procedural memory, like the basal ganglia and cerebellum, which help us with habits, skills, and movement.^[5] This is different from declarative memory, where we store facts we can say out loud, like the capital of a country or the steps in a math problem.^[6] A famous thinker named Michael Polanyi once said, “We can know more than we can tell.” What he meant is that we often understand things deeply without being able to explain them fully.^[1] For example, an experienced doctor might recognize a serious illness just from the way a patient looks or sounds, something that a beginner or a computer might miss. This kind of expert intuition is a powerful form of tacit knowledge.^[7]

Businesses also recognize how important tacit knowledge is. It helps workers solve problems creatively, make good decisions, and handle unexpected situations without needing step-by-step instructions.^[8] That is why companies encourage teamwork, mentoring, and knowledge sharing. In many workplaces, people learn best by working alongside more experienced coworkers, picking up tips and tricks that cannot be found in a manual.^[9] However, passing on tacit knowledge is not easy. It often takes time, trust, and shared experience. For example, a sushi master might spend years teaching a student, not just how to cut fish, but how to feel its freshness or understand when rice is just right. These are things that cannot be described in words or taught quickly, they must be experienced.^[10]

In schools, teachers try to build tacit knowledge using experiential learning. This means giving students real or hands-on situations where they have to observe, reflect, and make decisions. One popular method, called Kolb's experiential learning, includes four steps: having an experience, thinking about it, learning from it, and trying it again in a new way. This helps students grow their skills through practice, not just reading or memorizing.^[11] In the world of artificial intelligence, computers still struggle to copy human tacit knowledge. Even though AI can recognize patterns or learn tasks from data, it usually does not understand situations deeply or adapt in the same way humans do.^[12] For example, a robot might follow a recipe, but it may not know how to adjust if an ingredient is missing or how to judge taste or texture like a human chef.^[13]

Tacit knowledge is also important for passing down traditions, customs, and values within a culture. People learn how to behave, celebrate, and show respect mostly by watching others and being part of a group, not by reading about it.^[14] That is why fields like anthropology often require researchers to live within the communities they study, so they can understand these practices from the inside.^[15] Unfortunately, tacit knowledge can be lost. As machines take over certain jobs, or as skilled workers retire without teaching others, special techniques and wisdom may disappear.^[16] This is especially true for traditional crafts, farming methods, or local knowledge about nature. Losing this kind of knowledge does not just affect how we work, it also affects our culture and history. That is why preserving tacit knowledge is so important for both the present and the future.^[17]