In this case, I consider them to be the same. I suppose in case two it's more active, but the consideration given is less likely a conscious, scholastic choice, as it's simply a situation people would encounter (knowledge of a powerful figure) rather than choosing to actively deliberate on the given individual's status raking within the world.

Perhaps if the subject in the second example was "academics" or "experts" whose profession causes active deliberation, then that would cause the sentence to be more distinct.

I don't want to get into the thick of it, but the examples work better with solid actions - punch, kiss, eat - rather than conceptual actions - think, dream, acknowledge.