The map is not \the territory… Unit 1: Understanding the Knower and Nature of Knowledge (and TOK)

The World as you know it…. You have 7 minutes in which to draw as accurately and completely as you can, a map of the world. Ready, set… GO!

Share your maps with your group… Are they different or the same? Can you suggest reasons for these differences or similarities? What part of the world is in the center of your map? What parts have you drawn in greatest detail? What parts have you even drawn in little detail or left out? Was there anything that you forgot? Who has the “Best” map?

Develop an awareness of yourself.. If you are to gain tools for the effective critical reflection on the claims of others you will need to also develop an awareness of yourself! Your background affects how you do the sifting and evaluating, and you are often unaware of its influence.

Maps from around the world… The maps above were drawn by students from Japan, Greenland, Italy, Costa Rica and Canada. Can you match the most likely map with each student?

“Why are we changing Maps?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLqC3FNNOaI

Mercator projection Mercator projection—weaknesses? 1569 Distorts relative size of the land masses—areas from equator disproportionately big (Greenland/Africa) Northern hemisphere at top. “This way up”??? (A few hundred years ago when northern hemisphere navigators used the North star—East used to be top “orientation” Eurocentric (Europe=big/middle)

Hobo-Dyer Relative size of landmasses—though distorted shape. Switched hemis How hard is it to break out of patterns of understanding?

Paradox of cartogrpahy “If a map is to be useful, then It must of necessity be imperfect.” Question: At your tables try to explain this paradox. How can this be true?

Google personalized map (2013)

The world according to Trump

Live Wikipedia edits! http://rcmap.hatnote.com/#en

“The map is not the territory” “The map is not the territory” (Alfred Korzybski) metaphorically illustrates the differences between belief and reality. Reality exists outside our mind--maps are just representations. Maps are in themselves “neutral”

“Gaining our maps” Personal experiences combined with ideas shape our beliefs and knowledge. Schools are a major influence of knowledgereflects values of the community/society.

In your journals… Choose ONE of the following questions to answer thoughtfully: To what extent do our maps of the world influence our world view, and hence, our knowledge? What political, economic, or philosophical ideas come with the terms “north,” “south,” “east,” and “west”? What other models that, on the surface, are poor representations of “reality,” but in fact are quite useful? What are their strengths and limitations? What effect do you think that an app like Google Maps has on our knowledge of the world?

Review the three types of knowledge We can treat knowledge as falling into 3 categories: Experiential knowledge/knowledge by acquaintance: Knowing through direct experience. I know the Muffin Man (knowledge by acquaintance) Procedural knowledge knowing how/skill. They all involve a skill. I know how to… Propositional knowledge (Knowing that/knowledge claim). They all make a claim and have an assertion of being true. I know that…

Review your list of “10 things” With your partner, discuss your justifications for these things. How did you come to know these claims as true? How many different justifications can you provide for them? Example Claim: My eyes are brown. Justification: I have seen them. (Please do not get hung up on if my brown is your brown is his brown and all that. That’s not at all relevant here.)

Knowing in your IB Diploma Knowing/direct experience Knowing how /skills Knowing that / knowledge claims Language A1 Fill in the table for all 6 of your IB subjects, considering to what extent and in what ways each of your subjects contributes to each type of knowing. Is it fair to say that you gain all 3 categories of knowledge from all subjects? Do you think different subjects offer a different balance of the three? Knowing in your IB Diploma

What is TOK for? Inquiring into the known Challenging the ‘obvious’ Researching detail Thinking about meaning Considering my experience and where I stand Challenging and reshaping assumptions

“Stages of TOK” Stage 1 You hold mostly unexamined and/or unconsciously-held opinions. Stage 2 You begin to doubt, as your opinions are questioned and you have trouble defending them. Stage 3 You take shelter in relativism: all opinions, you say, are equally valid. Everyone is right. Stage 4 You have opinions again, but this time they are carefully examined and considered opinions. You are aware of the basis of these opinions—the grounds by which you justify your beliefs. You are aware, too, of opposing views, and the arguments in support of those opposing views. In short, you know and can explain why you believe what you believe, and why you do not believe something else instead. You are able to disagree with others in an intelligent, informed, and respectful way.

PREVIEW OF ‘WOK’S’ The ‘Ways of Knowing’ are tools and/or filters for acquiring and understanding knowledge. KEY LEARNINGS – WOK’s are; ‘Double-edged swords’ a) Sources of knowledge and b) Obstacles to knowledge 2) Their roles vary within the different ‘Areas of Knowledge’ Question: Brainstorm different ways that we KNOW something.

PREVIEW OF ‘AOK’S’ The ‘Areas of Knowledge’ are subject areas and/or disciplines in which knowledge is frequently classified KEY LEARNINGS – AOK’s help us to; 1) Understand the conceptual and methodological reasons for classification Explore how comparisons and contrasts between disciplines serve to; a) Clarify such partitioning of knowledge and b) Challenge such partitioning of knowledge