ToK style

Knowledge as organized common sense A mental map of reality, includes True vs false Reasonable and unreasonable Right and wrong

Mercator ProjectionHobo Dyer Projection

Done on a 1:1 scale? How do you use maps? Challenges of google maps while driving or walking? Paradox of cartography

“There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything, or to doubt everything; both save us from thinking” Ways of knowing are routes to our certainty. Examples of 4, used recently by you (see ToK overview)

Do you think it is seriously possible you could be dreaming right now? Why even bother thinking of this?

There is not such thing as absolute truth that exists in an objective way independent of what anyone happens to believe is true. Instead, truth is relative and may be different for all individuals and cultures Since there are no grounds for saying one opinion is better than another, we must conclude all points of view are of equal value. See ToK overview for reflection

The role of judgement A balance of scepticism and open minded-ness Great marketplace of beliefs – the internet. How do we decide what to follow, or believe? (See ToK overview)

Gullibility- so much fun! Examples- (ToK overview) Scepticism- Closing your mind to new ideas – meteorites, continental drift, airplanes, gay marriage…

‘My view is that there is such a thing as being too open minded. I am not open minded about the earth being flat, about whether Hitler is alive today, about claims by people to have squared the circle, or to have proven special relativity wrong. I am also not open minded with respect to the paranormal. And I think it is wrong to be open-minded with respect to these things, just as I think it is wrong to be open-minded about whether or not the Nazis killed six million Jews in World War II.’ Douglas Hofstadter

Evidence - if there is some for the argument The fallacy of ‘argument ad ignorantium’ lies in not providing any. Think ‘You cannot prove there are no little green men on Mars!’ Which is an example of such? Since many people claim to see ghosts, it is likely they exist. Many members of the Society of Paranormal believe in ghosts. Ghosts must exist because no one has proved that they do not. It is true for me that ghosts exist.

Answer in the overview… Then consider why we should look for evidence which counts against our beliefs. Confirmation bias. Your horoscope?

Not to be confused with all of common sense Although we should be open to new ideas, the more unlikely something is relative to our current state of knowledge, the stronger the evidence should be before we take it seriously. Sagan ’Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” examples, or agree/disagree?

Tobacco exec – cigarettes same as gummy bears – Marshall Applewhite, Heaven’s Gate, Hale-Bopp comet, 39 Do you think we should respect the beliefs of a racist or sexist person? Give reasons in overview OR Find two examples of beliefs you think are both misguided and dangerous. In overview…