You often know how to do things without being able to explain how you do them. This is called Polanyi’s paradox.
This gap exists because much of our knowledge is tacit, meaning it’s learned through experience and intuition rather than by memorizing rules or facts that can be easily put into words.
Most people, for example, can easily recognize a familiar face or ride a bike. But if you were asked exactly how they do it, they might struggle to spell out all the tiny steps or rules that enable them to perform those actions.
In contrast to tacit knowledge, we have explicit knowledge, which can be written down, like step-by-step instructions.
We can effortlessly complete tasks based on tacit knowledge. But since computers and artificial intelligence rely on precise instructions or data, they struggle to replicate these tasks—navigating a busy road or interpreting body language, for example.
As a result, it’s especially hard to automate jobs that require common sense, adaptability, or judgment.
While computers have taken over many routine tasks that are fairly simple to codify, jobs requiring abstract thinking or flexible manual skills remain more resistant to automation.
This is because the necessary know-how usually isn’t something we can fully explain or program.
Online Resources
- Polanyi’s paradox / Wikipedia
Please Note: This is my personal summary of the topic, shared both for my own records and in the hope it may be helpful to you. AI was used in parts to assist with the process.