TOK: A Quick Review 1/9

Agenda Discuss what is coming Review the three WOKs we have already discussed – emotion, perception, language END GOAL – Remind yourself about the main ideas so that we can move on.

What’s Coming… Work Days? Still need them? Start them this week?

What’s Coming Late Work? I will grade everything handed in to me on/before January 17th

What’s Coming Last WOK – Reason The Goal– Finish is by next Thursday (might be hard with a work day and day off…)

Language ”Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” George Orwell What does this quote mean? Do you agree or disagree with it? What are some examples from current events? What other “types” of language are there?

Language “Our language is a reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.” –Cesar Chavez Do you agree or disagree? Would you choose different words if every word you spoke was tattooed on your body? Can the same be said about emotion? Are your emotions a reflection of your character?

Emotion “Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you.” Roger Ebert What does this quote mean? Do you agree or disagree with it? Can you connect it to your perceptions of different current events?

Perception “If ’seeing is believing’ what happened to taste, touch, sound, and smell? Did our creator really intend to favour sight over other senses? I don’t believe so.” Alex Morritt, Impromptu Scribe Is sight the most reliable of our senses?

Perception “Perception is reality to the one in the experience.” Danielle Bernock, Emerging with Wings: A True Story of Lies, Pain, and the Love That Heals Can two people have different perceptions of the same event and still be correct? Think: Current Events?

Intro To Reason 1/10

Agenda Quote Reflection Introduction to Unit End Goal – Is Reason the most reliable WOK?

Quote 1 “The head is always fooled by the heart.” –La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) What does this quote mean? Do you agree with it? Disagree? Examples: personal life, society, current events

Reason Reason is the “gatekeeper” to all of the other WOKS Our perceptions need to make sense Our intuitions are tested by reason Our emotions are held in check Our language is intentional

Reason Reason is a part of our identity – we are rational animals (Personal/Philosophical) Rational = sitting and thinking=reason=logic Empirical=going and looking=perception=observation

Reason Empirical Rational Relies on observation and experience Relies on logic and reasoning

The Power of Reason Claim: We posses a quality of mind unmatched in nature Few of us doubt that other creatures perceive and feel and act, but reason? In the same way? Doubtful. Only our species argues with words to defend our opinions and reasons about our beliefs and their consequences.

Reason as meaning making Instrumental Value of Reasoning – to make things cogent and clear Personal Value – Society seems to have a ”craving” for sense and order We do not like a mystery for too long Because we search for the point of things, logic and reason consume our daily lives

Quote 2 “You do not reason a man out of something he was not reasoned into.” Jonathan Swift What does this quote mean? Where do you see evidence of this quote in our society? Current Events?

Quote 3 “I do not think, sir, you have any right to command me, merely because you are older than I, or because you have seen more of the world than I have; your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience.” Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre How important are ”time and experience” when it comes to the WOKs? Do you get better and filtering them with time and experience? What are some other factors that may improve your ability to filter WOKs?

Reason - Logic 1/12

Agenda Deductive Reasoning as Logic Logic as Form Practice Essay Question End Goal- Is reason a reliable way of knowledge?

Deductive Reasoning as Logic Difference between inductive and deductive reasoning Deductive Reasoning: Can be called logical Demonstration of reasons linked to a conclusion Not necessarily a demonstration of thinking (how people think is a matter for psychology; studying the correct reasoning is a matter of logic)

Logic as Form TOK Purpose: Practical applications of deductive reasoning Mostly as a way of prediction and justification

Logic as Form Strength of deduction comes from its form, not its content Bridge analogy

Logic as Form Syllogism A form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed premises Each premise shares a term with the conclusion Each premise shares a common or middle term not present in the conclusion 1- All dogs are animals. 2- All animals have four legs. Conclusion: All dogs have four legs.

Classic Syllogism - Valid All men are mortal. True Proposition/Major Premise Socrates is a man. True Proposition/Minor Premise Socrates is mortal Conclusion VALID

Classic Syllogism – INVALID All men are mortal. True Proposition/Major Premise Socrates is mortal. True Proposition/ Minor Premise Socrates is a man. Conclusion INVALID

Difference? The argument of the second has changed. Therefore, you can see, it is the form, not the content In the second one, the conclusion DID NOT NECESSARILY follow from the premises given.

VALID INVALID If I study, I will pass. I studied. Therefore, I passed. If I study, I will pass. I chose not to study. Therefore, I did not pass

It can get more confusing.. Even if a premise (or both!) is not true, the conclusion can still be VALID

Example The moon is made of green cheese. My arm is part of the moon. False proposition/major premise My arm is part of the moon. False proposition/minor premise My arm is made of green cheese. False proposition/ conclusion VALID

Logic as Form Format matters, not accuracy The argument may be valid by form alone “The upshot is that validity has its appeal independent of truth, which warns us to be wary of those dealing in lies, but winning the day through the power of logic.”

Logic as Form “Just as the Devil can quote scripture in order to confound believers, so we should recognize that there are those who stand to gain by using logic to distort truth and spread lies.”

Practice Essay Title Thinking is larger than reasoning and reasoning is larger than logic. Discuss.