TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important? What have you heard about the situation at UWC Li Po Chun?

TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important? What have you heard about the situation at UWC Li Po Chun? Did you sign the online document? Why?

TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important? What do you know about the situation at UWC Li PO Chun? Some questions…. What is the legal situation in HK for same- sex couples and their children? What efforts have been made in the past to resolve this issue? What has been the position of the board? What pressures has the head been under? What could have happened in terms of UWCLPC funding if the school/board had acted differently?

Opinion Belief Information Fact Prejudice Evidence Some key words….. Assumptions TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important? Knowledge

TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important? What have you heard about ToK? What do you know about ToK?

TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important? A short history…

TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

The IB Mission Statement: The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect

ToK A keystone academic course unifying the IB diploma, providing a foundation for all diploma subjects TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

Knower(s) Natural Sciences Language Sense Perception Emotion Reason Mathematics Human Sciences History Arts Ethics Ways of Knowing Areas of Knowledge Theory of Knowledge Diagram TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

ToK or TaK? TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

Why is it important? “Information is acquired by being told, whereas knowledge can be acquired by thinking” Fritz Malchup “The greatest obstacle to progress is not the absence of knowledge, but the illusion of knowledge” Daniel Boorstin “By doubting we are led to enquire, and by enquiry we perceive the truth” Peter Abelard

An Introduction to Critical Thinking by QualiaSoup ( )

Give someone a fish and they’ll eat that day

Give someone a fish and they’ll eat that day Teach them how to catch a fish and they’ll never go hungry

DependenceSelf-reliance LEARNING SKILLS

Self-reliance Memorize the solution to a problem … Solution … and it may lead to the solving of that, and similar problems LEARNING SKILLS

Self-reliance improving your critical thinking … … can provide techniques to solve a multitude of unfamiliar problems

Self-reliance Critical thinking Analyzing Conceptualising Defining Examining Inferring Listening Questioning Reasoning Synthesising evaluating information & evaluating our thoughts in a disciplined way help us refine our thought processes think and assess information more comprehensively more able to identify and reject false ideas /ideologies

Critical thinking …isn’t just ‘thinking a lot’ Position X (How?) Who?

Critical thinking …isn’t just ‘thinking a lot’ (How?) Position X Who? Thinking Critically

… we must want to be better at thinking to pinpoint and minimize biasing influence from Culture and Upbringing to seek out and be guided by Knowledge and Evidence that fits with reality.....

…even if it refutes our cherished beliefs beliefs if shown to be unfounded CHANGE of POSITION = appropriate response

Critical thinkers exhibit - Curiosity Perspective Knowledge Willing to do the work required to keep themselves properly informed

The crops failed because the Sun God is angry Explains nothingUntestable What would upset Evolutionary theory? Many things. For instance, a Paleozoic panda….

Critical thinking embraces Scepticism indiscriminate rejection of ideas doubting suspension of judgment CLAIM reason ing assumptionsbiases reasoning

should be based in sound, consistent logic not on emotions / social pressure Truth of factual claims is not determined by: the emotion that accompanies them OR the fact that they may be believed by certain social groups

REASON is intrinsic to our decisions and judgments Moving to Australia ProsCons These aren’t ripe

What will increase our understanding? Moving to Australia ProsCons These aren’t ripe Dismissing reason? Or looking honestly at our flaws?

La What will increase our understanding? lack of respect for reason lack of respect for evidence intellectual arrogance unwillingness to listen intellectual laziness will sabotage one’s capacity for critical thought

BLACK & WHITE THINKING

FALSE DICHOTOMY

Those who accept evolution Theists

Those who accept evolution Theists Theists who accept evolution

Those who accept evolution Theists Theists who accept evolution If we think in false dichotomies we will draw false conclusions

If we think in false dichotomies we will draw false conclusions If OPTION A is false OPTION B MUST be true If one doesn’t hold ATTITUDE X One MUST hold ATTITUDE Y

underlying intolerance of ambiguity leaping to flawed conclusions because you can’t tolerate the ambiguity of not knowing TRUTH CURIOSITY COMFORT

can handle uncertainty prefers to be aware of their areas of ignorance can wait for valid evidence can wait for evidence-based answers

intellectual independence

Moves us away from rash conclusions mystification reluctance to question - received wisdom - authority - tradition Moves us towards intellectual discipline clear expression of ideas acceptance of personal responsibility for our own thinking

eager to acquire and apply the best knowledge and reason in all fields willing to acknowledge and correct flaws in their own thinking better equipped to create more profoundly effective solutions to the challenges we face in living, and living together

Critical Thinking One objective of ToK is to help students “make sense of what they encounter”, by learning to: critically examine the reliability of sources of knowledge distinguish between good and poor reasoning spot intentional or accidental bias identify inconsistencies TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

“The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge” Thomas Berger

TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important? We will be asking questions so that we can better understand the world, ourselves and others: “What do you know?” “How do you know it is true?” “What can you know?” “What can’t be known?” “What can you be certain of?” Knowledge begins with questions…

TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important? A question is a tool for creating knowledge – but not every question leads to reliable knowledge

Knowledge begins with a question… Questions that have one correct answer. Example: “How many chairs are there in this room?” Questions that have many possible answers but which require justification and reasoned judgments. Example: “What is the best way to deal with 3 rd World poverty?” Questions that have no correct answer but depend totally on the person answering the question. Example: “Which type of chocolate tastes best?” TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

If you found this …. Spend 2 minutes writing down questions you would ask. Where would you go to find answers to your questions? 20 cms long; made of stone

Why is it important? “There is no likelihood that humans will ever tap the power of the atom” Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize Winner in Physics (1923) “The atom bomb will never go off and I speak as an expert” Admiral W. Leahy, Advisor to the US President (1945) “I think there will be a world market for five computers” Thomas Watson, Founder of IBM (1958) “The Internet will never take off” Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft (1988) Knowledge is not static – it has a history and changes over time. What guarantee is there that our current understanding is correct? TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

The ideal knower: “Do not believe anything simply because you have heard it; Do not believe in traditions simply because they have been passed down over many generations; Do not believe anything just because it is spoken and rumoured by many to be true; Do not believe anything simply because it is found in your religious books; Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders; But, after observation and analysis, when you find that something agrees with reason, and is conducive to the good … then accept it and live up to it.” Shakyamuni Buddha 500BC TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

The IB learner: Handout: Words and definitions TaK - What is Theory of Knowledge and why is it important?

Jan 2012 Dec 2012 Education & Identity Ways of Knowing Areas of Knowledge Essay & Presentation Where we are going…