Theory of Knowledge (TOK) explores how knowledge is gained, the validity of knowledge claims, and different areas of knowledge. TOK lessons involve open-ended questions, critical thinking, and reflection. The goal is not to answer questions definitively, but to think about knowledge. Key concepts include justification of knowledge using different ways of knowing, the relationship between truth and belief, and examining knowledge issues and claims within disciplines like the natural sciences, human sciences, history, ethics, religion, indigenous knowledge, and the arts.
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Tok intro
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Theory of Knowledge
Mini Lessons and the core ideas
Ayca Turkkan
September 14, 2012
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What is TOK?
Theory Of Knowledge
Theory teatre to see
Seeing Knowledge
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How do we know?
How do we use this in our:
Personal
Professional
Societal
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What do we do?
Open ended questions
Thinking critically
Reflecting
Develop ideas
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What is NOT TOK?
Philosophy class
Not trying to decipher the meaning of life
Reflection on learning --- MUST
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What do we do in class?
Origins and nature of knowledge
Knowledge is defined as justified true belief
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Justification
Needs to appeal to four ways of knowing (WOKs)
Language My Mom told me!
Perception - I saw /see it!
Reason I figured it out!
Emotion It is obvious!
CONTEXT hypothetical Murat Bey in his office? You might
question your knowledge!
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Truth
Very thick concept
Makes a clear distinction between knowledge and belief
Earth being flat Everyone believed it!
There are 9 planets in our solar system They discovered
Chiron!
In practice when we say something is true we say it is beyond
reasonable doubt.
In simpler terms: Rational Truth use your head and Empirical
Truth Look for evidence (use your eyes!)
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Burglar
Woman: Honey I think someone is in the house. Please go and
look.
Man: There is no one in the house. Otherwise the alarm would
have gone off.
Woman: Maybe someone cut the wires!
Man: Dont be silly! The dog would have barked!
Woman: Maybe they have chloroformed the dog! Please go look!
(And the man goes downstairs..)
Man: There Ive looked. There is no one in the house!
Woman: Well, maybe when you were in the kitchen he was in the
living room! ..
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Belief
Truth objective Belief subjective
Comes right before knowledge
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Thats why we cannot say that calculators know 2 + 2 = 4!
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Origins of Knowledge
Observation? Books?
Dreams? Visions?
Hunches? Thought?
Teachers? Etc etc.
TV?
Internet?
Family?
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Origins of Knowledge
Knowledge by Acquaintance
Knowledge by Description
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The Distinction
Knowing how Knowing that (I know that..)
Subjective Objective
Private Articulated
Can originate in experience Public
Can be shown Must have
reasons/evidence/proof
May give certainty
May give certainty
BAKING BREAD
RECIPE FOR BAKING BREAD
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Knowledge Claims
You are saying something that you believe to be true!
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True? False? Both? Neither?
I know its raining!
I know it is raining or it is not raining.
I know 2 + 2 = 4
I know two apples and two apples make four apples.
I know how to speak English.
I know my tooth hurts.
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I know it is raining!
Needs evidence to be proven true or false
Empirical knowledge
You need to go and look!
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I know it is raining or it is not raining!
True under all conditions!
Simple reasoning!
Your mind tells you that it is true.
Double check: think of what could prove it false???
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I know 2 + 2 = 4
Rational truth within the mathematical framework of base 10.
Coherent with other mathematical statements like 34 16 = 18.
A basic mathematical mind is all thats needed here.
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Two apples and two apples make 4
apples?
Not a Rational statement about mathematical knowledge
There are no numbers
Cannot be counted as mathematical proof
Purely empirical
Check: As you are walking out it starts drizzling, first a drop of
raindrop on your forehead, then another. Do you have two
drops of water on your forehead?
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I know how to speak English.
Knowledge by acquaintance
Knowing how
Either you can do it or you cannot
Proof is in the performance
Empirical
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I know my tooth hurts.
One of those interesting truths that is only TRUE FOR YOU.
How can you prove it?
The dentist may claim otherwise!
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Knowledge Issues
Core of the course
Address each knowledge claim through the framework of
knowledge issues (knowledge problems)
Forms the basis of both internal and external assessment
Essay: Identify the key knowledge problems in the prescribed
title
Presentation: Finding knowledge issues and searching for real
life situations
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Knowledge issues clarified
Wikipedia says that Bangkok is in Thailand.
How can I use reason to know if information from an internet
source is accurate and reliable?
Modern art is more meaningful than Renaissance
representative art.
What are the criteria to distinguish more meaningful art from
less meaningful art?
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I saw a documentary last night that proves global warming is
bogus!
What emotional techniques do documentary makers use to
shape our judgments?
My eyes tell me that the teaspoon bends in a clear teacup.
How can we know when our senses give us accurate
information about the world?
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Areas of Knowledge
IB believes that valuable knowledge resides in well-established
disciplines.
Mathematics
Natural Sciences
Human Sciences
Art
History
Ethics
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How do we use these AOKs?
Natural sciences:
What is a classic scientific method?
Know what makes a claim a scientific claim
Meaning of truth in the scientific context
Effects of scientific way of thinking on our beliefs
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Mathematics
Axiom-theorem structure
And how this applies to mathematical truth
Role of logic link to rationalism
Theorem establishing for describing a situation
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Human Sciences
Difference between human sciences and natural sciences
Position of ethics in human sciences
Dilemmas free will, nature/nurture debate
Experimental problems in human sciences
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Ethics
Thoroughly understand the concept of ethics
Strengths and weaknesses in ethics
Role of emotion in ethics
The concept of choice in ethics
Role of culture in ethics
Role of reasoning in ethics
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History
The distinction between history and historiography
Nature and problems of historical facts
Compare and contrast history with other disciplines
Role of bias
Selection in the historical process
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Arts
Definitions and descriptions of the central characteristics of the
arts
Defend the criteria for artistic judgment
How art fits in the human experience
Artistic knowledge versus other forms of knowledge
Theories on the role of truth in the context of the arts
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Natural sciences
Can you help me draw a scientist on the board?
What comes to your mind when I say a scientist?
How does a scientist look?
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Ethics
Imagine you are a large Jewish familiy hiding from the Nazis
during the Second World War. One day you hear the soldiers
coming towards your house.
You hide in a very safe spot in your basement, as a family. You
are sure that you will not be found.
Then the youngest member of your family, the three month old
baby starts crying while the Nazis are upstairs in your home.
Would you kill the baby to save 7 people? Or would you
sacrifice all 7 people instead of killing the baby?
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The Arts Effects of music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32A7bTalgAE&feature=plcp
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The Arts Effect of music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os6raCCmAFk&feature=plcp
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The TOK Essay
1200 1600 words
Addressing knowledge issues Understanding Knowledge
issues
Student voice
Analysis of these knowledge issues
Organization of Ideas
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Resources
- Sue Bastian TOK Category 2 Workshop Materials
New York City, July 2012
- Theory of Knowledge , Sue Bastian, Pearson Baccalaureate
2009
- Theory Of Knowledge Nicholas Alchin, Hodder Murray 2006
- Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma Richard van de
Lagemaat, Cambridge University Press 2011