totality of knowledge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "totality of knowledge" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the complete or comprehensive understanding of a subject or area of study. Example: "The totality of knowledge in the field of quantum physics continues to expand as new discoveries are made."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"The hallucinatory superego," this Freud writes, "represents a special relationship between the individual and the totality of knowledge".

The New York Times - Books

The more the individual intellect in act is absorbed in theoretical activity, the greater its accumulation of scientific knowledge; each step bringing it closer to that totality of knowledge and essential being encapsulated in the Agent Intellect.

SEP

And in connection with (2), while he acknowledges that the task of forming a totality of knowledge is of its nature incompletable, he nonetheless prescribes what he calls "heuristic" and "architectonic" procedures for, respectively, amassing the pieces of knowledge and forming them together into a coherent whole.

SEP

Continuing exponential growth in the volume of science as measured by number of scientists or by publications has made it virtually impossible for individual researchers to keep track of the totality of knowledge and major progress areas in a research field using the traditional modes of scholarly research.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"They should be very nervous, they should be very concerned, because the information that has been put out right now is not the totality of our knowledge.

The New York Times

In theory, this opened the totality of human knowledge to everyone.

Huffington Post

Having now literally wrapped the globe in our externalized nervous systems, we are nearing a moment when we'll find ourselves constantly embedded in an ever-expanding totality of human knowledge.

Vice

Which is a roundabout way of illustrating the point that the idea of an omniscient organisation – let alone the NSA – processing the totality of human knowledge into anything resembling useful intelligence remains firmly in the realms of science fiction. .

Vice

As such, we all have personal experience with folks who feel perfectly at liberty to pontificate on every and any topic -- wholly unburdened by the fear of humiliation in as much as they seem to possess the totality of human knowledge.

Huffington Post

In Rembrandt's portrait, the haunting eyes that surveyed the totality of human knowledge are unfathomable.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Following the meeting, we asked each expert to rate 200 unique intervention-setting-phase triads identified during the meeting based on the totality of their knowledge.

BMC Public Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "totality of knowledge", consider if a more specific term like "body of research" or "understanding" would provide greater clarity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "totality of knowledge" when referring to a specific, limited area of expertise. The phrase implies a comprehensive understanding, which might be an overstatement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "totality of knowledge" functions as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or the complement of a preposition. It refers to the entirety or completeness of understanding within a specific domain or across all domains.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

30%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "totality of knowledge" is a noun phrase that describes the complete or comprehensive understanding of a subject. While grammatically correct and usable, as Ludwig AI confirms, its usage should be considered carefully, as it implies a level of comprehensiveness that is often difficult to achieve. As a rare expression, it is more frequent in scientific and academic contexts and it is fundamental to know that similar expressions as ""sum of knowledge"" and "complete understanding" are more frequent and could be used alternatively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sum of knowledge

Emphasizes the additive nature of knowledge, focusing on accumulation.

entirety of knowledge

Highlights the completeness and unbroken nature of knowledge.

whole of knowledge

Similar to 'entirety' but can also imply an interconnected system.

comprehensive knowledge base

Suggests a structured and organized collection of knowledge.

complete understanding

Focuses on the cognitive state of fully grasping a subject.

encyclopedic knowledge

Implies a broad and detailed range of knowledge, like that found in an encyclopedia.

universal knowledge

Refers to knowledge applicable or known everywhere.

body of knowledge

Suggests a structured and established collection of information.

global knowledge

Emphasizes the worldwide scope and availability of information.

cumulative knowledge

Highlights the gradual accumulation of knowledge over time.

FAQs

What does "totality of knowledge" mean?

The phrase "totality of knowledge" refers to the complete or comprehensive understanding of a particular subject, field, or all of human knowledge. It suggests a holistic and exhaustive perspective.

How can I use "totality of knowledge" in a sentence?

You can use "totality of knowledge" to describe the extent of someone's understanding or the scope of a particular field. For example: "The project aims to capture the "sum of knowledge" in the field of artificial intelligence."

What are some alternatives to "totality of knowledge"?

Alternatives include "body of knowledge", "comprehensive understanding", or "sum of knowledge" depending on the specific context.

Is it accurate to say someone possesses the "totality of knowledge"?

In most practical contexts, claiming someone possesses the "totality of knowledge" is an exaggeration, as knowledge is constantly evolving and expanding. It is more appropriate to describe someone as having extensive or comprehensive knowledge.