What is TOK?

Good Will Hunting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM-gZintWDc (Use Firefox) Answer this: What points is Robin Williams making about knowledge? How do you feel about what he says?

You need to be able to explain…. What is a knowledge claim? How can we categorize knowledge/knowledge claims? What are the characteristics of a knowledge claim? What are the IB “defined” areas of knowledge and the ways of knowing?

What do I know? Three types of knowledge: Procedural—I know HOW to… Experiential—I am familiar with… Propositional—I know THAT TOK primarily deals gwith propositional knowledge

What is a knowledge claim? What we know (or say we know) Is expressed in language Not a question, but a statement Can be false Includes facts, but also beliefs, feelings, opinions and statements of value that are asserted as true

Knowledge claims include… Observations (I/He saw) Predictions (I know that X will happen.) Hypotheses (This is why this happens.) Hypothetical statements (If this happens, then this will happen.) Metaphysical statements (I/God/Satan exist. This table is here.) Definitions (This means….) Statements of value or judgement ( Pizza tastes better than liver.)

(what happens if we accept this claim as true? Assumptions (what is necessary for us to accept this claim as true?) Implications (what happens if we accept this claim as true? Knowledge claim

Knowledge claim: Abortion is the same as murder. Assumptions: Abortion is unethical because it is murder. Human life begins at conception (classification of a life) Implications: Impact on the legality of abortion Suggests a moral authority Could impact laws regarding other fetus deaths (negligence, murder of the mother, abuse) Could impact medical uses of fetal tissue Possible scientific ramifications for biology

Justifications: WOKs Stands for Ways of Knowing Again, artificial labels to allow for discussion Similarly studied in epistemology

Back to your knowledge claims… In your groups, choose five knowledge claims from your table to discuss. Copy them onto the graphic organizer in the first column. For each one, discuss the ways in which you know this to be true. Rank each according to its verifiabillity/certainty. Identify what justifications you would use to support each claim. Identify any assumptions behind each claim (what is necessary for us to accept this claim as true?) The implications of this knowledge (what happens if we accept this claim as true?)

Two categories of knowledge Shared knowledge Personal knowledge Possessed by a group Shared through language and culture Based on our “faith” in experts, people we love and trust, and religion Can change through paradigm shifts Lived, direct experience possessed by an individual (acquaintance/experience) Sense perception Memory (muscle memories, training, etc) Imagination Intuition Emotions

AOKs Stands for “Areas of Knowledge” Artificial labels made up by IB to use for categorization and discussion Our job? To identify and evaluate the relationships, similarities, differences, and dependency between these.

Natural Sciences Scientific investigation and inquiry into the natural world Biology Physics Geology Chemistry Anatomy

Human Sciences Scientific investigation into how humans and social groups work Economics Psychology Sociology Political science Anthropology

Mathematics Needs no introduction… (drops mike and walks off….)

Arts Dance 3D art 2D art Literature Spoken word performance Theater Music

Ethics A “system” of morality— different from morals How does one know what is right and good?

History The study of the past—not events themselves More accurately “historiography” Sometimes considered part of the human sciences

Knowledge Framework: Scope/Application Distinguishing charateristics Knowledge can be seen as an attempt to solve a problem (practical uses)/value AOKs are open ended and likely to change; adaptable to yet unanswered questions Are some questions unethical to ask?

KF: Concepts/Language Knowledge has to be shared and stored—space and time Symbolic/Metaphoric/Linguistic

Methodology

KF: Historical Development

KF: Links to Personal Knowledge