Knowledge Issues and How to go about your ToK Presentation

Good KI OK KI Poor KI Not a KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge Couched in (abstract) ToK terms OK KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge. Poor KI A closed question or one that is implicitly about Knowledge Not a KI A statement or a closed question, about a subject specific issue rather than about Knowledge per se To what extent can human sciences use mathematical techniques to make accurate predictions? How can we use models to predict crime waves? Will police crime predictions turn out to be correct? How can we prevent crime?

Good KI OK KI Poor KI Not a KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge Couched in abstract ToK terms OK KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge. Poor KI A closed question or one that is implicitly about Knowledge Not a KI A statement or a closed question, about a subject specific issue rather than about Knowledge per se How can it be that two systems of knowledge, giving two different explanations for the same phenomenon can both be true? How could we test whether acupuncture is effective? Will acupuncture heal a certain medical condition? Acupuncture

? ? OK KI Good KI Poor KI Not a KI Why is Utilitarianism appealing? An open question, explicitly about Knowledge Couched in abstract ToK terms OK KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge. Poor KI A closed question, implicitly about Knowledge Not a KI A statement or a closed question, about a subject specific issue rather than about Knowledge per se ? ? 1 How should we use reason and emotion in reaching ethical principles? 2 Does doing ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’ make sense? Why is Utilitarianism appealing? Utilitarianism

? ? Good KI OK KI Poor KI Is swine flu likely to kill millions? An open question, explicitly about Knowledge Couched in ToK terms OK KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge. Poor KI A closed question, implicitly about Knowledge Not a KI A statement or a closed question, about a subject specific issue rather than about Knowledge per se ? ? 1 In absence of certainly, how should we justify our beliefs about the risk posed by swine flu? 2 How can we know if swine flu will kill millions? Is swine flu likely to kill millions? What do we mean by an 'epidemic’?

? ? ? Good KI OK KI Poor KI Not a KI The credit crisis An open question, explicitly about Knowledge Couched in ToK terms OK KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge. Poor KI A closed question, implicitly about Knowledge Not a KI A statement or a closed question, about a subject specific issue rather than about Knowledge per se ? ? 1 In absence of certainly, how should we justify our beliefs about the risk posed by swine flu? 2 How can we know if swine flu will kill millions? ? The credit crisis

Your own ideas? Good KI OK KI Poor KI Not a KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge Couched in ToK terms OK KI An open question, explicitly about Knowledge. Poor KI A closed question, implicitly about Knowledge Not a KI A statement or a closed question, about a subject specific issue rather than about Knowledge per se Your own ideas?

Good Knowledge Issues are: Open questions explicitly about Knowledge per se and not subject-specific claims Couched in the language of ToK – evidence, belief, objective, subjective, necessary and sufficient conditions, culture, explanation, interpretation, truth, experience, values areas of knowledge and/or ways of knowing.

Theory of Knowledge: Presentation Structure Real-Life Situation extraction Knowledge Issue (recognized)

Theory of Knowledge: Presentation Structure Real-Life Situation extraction Knowledge Issue (recognized) Knowledge Issue(s) (developed) progression

Theory of Knowledge: Presentation Structure Real-Life Situation application extraction Knowledge Issue (recognized) Knowledge Issue(s) (developed) progression

Theory of Knowledge: Presentation Structure Other Real-Life Situation Real-Life Situation Other Real-Life Situation application extraction Knowledge Issue (recognized) Knowledge Issue(s) (developed) progression

Example 1 Conspiracy Theories What are the strengths and weaknesses of this structure?

Conspiracy Da Vinci Code

Conspiracy Da Vinci Code Why do conspiracy theories exist?

Da Vinci Code Conspiracy Why do conspiracy theories exist? People believe what’s most appealing Different Interpretations of the same facts Biases affecting conclusions drawn

Da Vinci Code Conspiracy Death of JFK Death of Benazir Bhutto Why do conspiracy theories exist? People believe what’s most appealing Different Interpretations of the same facts Biases affecting conclusions drawn

Example 2 Limits of Science What are the strengths and weaknesses of this structure?

How far is science limited in finding out the truth about reality? Limits of Science Documentary on the Large Hadron Collider The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) from 1998 to 2008, with the aim of allowing physicists to test the predictions of different theories of particle physics and high-energy physics, and particularly that of the existence of the hypothesized Higgs boson[1] and of the large family of new particles predicted by supersymmetric theories.[2] The LHC is expected to address some of the most fundamental questions of physics, advancing human understanding of the deepest laws of nature. It contains six detectors each designed for specific kinds of exploration. The LHC lies in a tunnel 27 kilometres (17 mi) in circumference, as deep as 175 metres (574 ft) beneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva, Switzerland. Its synchrotron is designed to collide opposing particle beams of either protons at up to 7 teraelectronvolts (7 TeV or 1.12 microjoules) per nucleon, or lead nucli at an energy of 574 TeV (92.0 µJ) per nucleus (2.76 TeV per nucleon-pair).[3][4] It was built in collaboration with over 10,000 scientists and engineers from over 100 countries, as well as hundreds of universities and laboratories.[5] On 4 July 2012, the CMS and the ATLAS experimental teams at the Large Hadron Collider independently announced that they each confirmed the formal discovery of a previously unknown boson of mass between 125 and 127 GeV/c2, whose behaviour so far has been "consistent with" a Higgs boson. Proof of the Higgs field (by observing the associated particle) and evidence of its properties are likely to greatly affect human understanding of the universe, validate the final unconfirmed part of the Standard Model as essentially correct, indicate which of several current particle physics theories are more likely correct, and open up "new" physics beyond current theories.[12] If the Higgs boson were shown not to exist, other alternative sources for the Higgs mechanism would need to be considered. How far is science limited in finding out the truth about reality?

Limits of Science Documentary on the Large Hadron Collider Nature of scientific method How far is science limited in finding out reality? Definitions of science Definition of reality

Limits of Science Documentary on the Large Hadron Collider Nature of Colour illusions Astronomy Limits of human sensory perception Situations not amenable to experimentation Nature of scientific method Dynamic change How far is science limited in finding out reality? Problems of inductive reasoning Role of technology in science Incompatibility between scientific and moral claims Definitions of science Definition of reality Differences between ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions

Limits of Science Documentary on the Large Hadron Collider Nature of Gödel’s theorem Colour illusions Astronomy Limits of human sensory perception Situations not amenable to experimentation Nature of scientific method Mathematics Axioms must be taken for granted Dynamic change How far is science limited in finding out reality? Problems of inductive reasoning History the past is beyond our grasp Role of technology in science Human sciences Human behaviour is unpredictable Incompatibility between scientific and moral claims Definitions of science Definition of reality Differences between ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions

Limits of Science Documentary on the Large Hadron Collider Nature of Medicine HIV treatment Gödel’s theorem Colour illusions Astronomy Limits of human sensory perception Situations not amenable to experimentation Nature of scientific method Mathematics Axioms must be taken for granted How far is science limited in finding out reality? Problems of inductive reasoning History the past is beyond our grasp Successes of science? Role of technology in science Human sciences Human behaviour is unpredictable Incompatibility between scientific and moral claims Definitions of science Definition of reality Differences between ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions

Limits of Science Documentary on the Large Hadron Collider Nature of Medicine HIV treatment Gödel’s theorem Colour illusions Astronomy Limits of human sensory perception Situations not amenable to experimentation Nature of scientific method Mathematics Axioms must be taken for granted Dynamic change How far is science limited in finding out reality? Problems of inductive reasoning History the past is beyond our grasp Successes of science? Role of technology in science Human sciences Human behaviour is unpredictable Incompatibility between scientific and moral claims Definitions of science Definition of reality Differences between ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions

Example 3 Claims in History What are the strengths and weaknesses of this structure?

Description of Holocaust Claims in History President Ahmedinejad’s denial of the Jewish Holocaust Description of Holocaust Auschwitz

Description of Holocaust Under what circumstances can a Claims in History President Ahmedinejad’s denial of the Jewish Holocaust Description of Holocaust Auschwitz Under what circumstances can a historical claim be considered valid?

Description of Holocaust Claims in History President Ahmedinejad’s denial of the Jewish Holocaust Description of Holocaust Auschwitz Importance of history Understanding the present Predicting the future Knowing identity Other problems: gaps, language issues, past interpreted in terms of present, etc. Under what circumstances can a historical claim be considered certain? Why should we care about historical truth? Is there a True history? Role of bias and Interpretation in history: emotion, culture, etc. Explanation of the concept of validity in relation to historical evidence

Claims in History President Description Ahmedinejad’s of Holocaust denial of the Jewish Holocaust Description of Holocaust Auschwitz Wall Street crash Phlogiston “Witchhunt” of communists in USA The phlogiston theory (from the Ancient Greek φλογιστόν phlogistón "burning up", from φλόξ phlóx "flame"), first stated in 1667 by Johann Joachim Becher, is an obsolete scientific theory that postulated the existence of a fire-like element called "phlogiston", which was contained within combustible bodies and released during combustion. The theory was an attempt to explain processes of burning such as combustion and the rusting of metals, which are now collectively known as oxidation. Importance of history Understanding the present Predicting the future Knowing identity Other problems: gaps, language issues, past interpreted in terms of present, etc. Under what circumstances can a historical claim be considered valid? Why should we care about historical truth? Is there a True history? Role of bias and Interpretation in history: emotion, culture, etc. Explanation of the concept of validity in relation to historical evidence

Description of Holocaust Claims in History President Ahmedinejad’s denial of the Jewish Holocaust Description of Holocaust Auschwitz Wall Street crash Phlogiston “Witchhunt” of communists in USA Validity of claims in Mathematics and Science… Importance of history Understanding the present Predicting the future Knowing identity Other problems: gaps, language issues, past interpreted in terms of present, etc. Under what circumstances can a historical claim be considered valid? Validity of claims in Art… Why should we care about historical truth? Is there a True history? Validity of claims in Ethics… Role of bias and Interpretation in history: emotion, culture, etc. Explanation of the concept of validity in relation to historical evidence

Description of Holocaust Claims in History President Ahmedinejad’s Auschwitz President Ahmedinejad’s denial of the Jewish Holocaust ??? Wall Street crash Phlogiston “Witchhunt” of communists in USA Validity of claims in Mathematics and Science… Importance of history Understanding the present Predicting the future Knowing identity Other problems: gaps, language issues, past interpreted in terms of present, etc. Under what circumstances can a historical claim be considered valid? Validity of claims in Art… Why should we care about historical truth? Is there a True history? Validity of claims in Ethics… Role of bias and Interpretation in history: emotion, culture, etc. Explanation of the concept of validity in relation to historical evidence