Does our knowledge depend on our interactions with other knowers? 

Knowledge has always been passed from knowers to those who desire to know. This statement seems to be clear because almost all educational institutions are based on this principle. However, is it possible for a human to learn something completely unknown by just listening to another knower?

My object is a postcard with a not-so-well-known engraving of a very acclaimed author, Albert Durer. I purchased it almost a year ago in Hermitage. I simply liked how the rhinoceros was depicted on the postcard. Likewise, I decided to fulfill my Durer postcard collection. It was an easy, transient decision.

Then, almost a half-year later, I stumbled upon a podcast that opened up the history behind the process of creating this engraving. Little did I know that Durer had actually never seen a rhinoceros in his life. He has represented the imaginary according to travelers who came from warm countries, descriptions.

This is a vivid example of how our knowledge depends on our interactions with other knowers. Durer could not even dream about visiting Africa to see this exotic animal, it was way too expensive at that time. However, thanks to the travelers with whom he interacted, he could gain the desired knowledge. And the most significant thing is that this knowledge was so impeccable that even nowadays, I, who have seen the rhinoceros multiple times, could not suspect anything about the drawing.