This is such an interesting topic that I don't think many think about as deeply as you have.

There's this grey area between book smart and experientially smart.
Example:
I've met a lot of cannabis growers who have somehow grown vicariously through the words they've read but not actually grown any, so I've been told what I'm doing wrong before from people who just cognitively know but don't have any physical experience.

The same could be applied to mechanics of course, and a multitude of other topics.

The grey area is that someone who's good at a trade has usually studied the books to acquire the knowledge, and the rest is learned through experience.

The best source of knowledge and truth is through experience, in my opinion.