There are different ways of acquiring knowledge (प्रमाण). Direct observation is the best. Inference from direct observation is the next.
The next & the most dangerous is the trusted source (शब्द). What happens if we blindly trust the word of something or someone that is untrustworthy? This misplaced trust is the power that is used to disseminate misinformation in media, academia, religious books & spy-craft. The one who can extract the right essence from this mixture of good & bad that is in the nature of the world is called a Hamsa. A Yogi who is good at Hamsa is called a ParamaHamsa.
The ancient multi-layered Vedantic தமிழ் saying: கண்ணால் காண்பதும் பொய், காதால் கேட்பதும் பொய், தீர விசாரிப்பதே மெய் summarizes the predicament. Literally, it means: what you see & hear is false, investigate for the truth. It also refers to investigating our own thoughts through Dhyana.
The other ways of acquiring knowledge are analogy, circumstantial evidence & the proof of non-existence.
Ancient Hindu Carvaka atheism accepted only direct observation, Vaiseshika accepted inference as well, Samkya & Yoga accepted the trusted word as well, Nyaya accepted analogies, Purva Mimamsa accepted circumstantial evidence while Vedanta accepted all of the above.
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