1. Theory of Knowledge TOK

2. Scientific Knowledge Acquired by using the scientific method –There is no real sequence of events and often the sequence is stopped and reevaluated throughout the process –Main Stages Ask an interesting question Formulate a hypothesis Devise an experiment to test the hypothesis Perform the experiment Analyze the results Publish the results Wait for peer review –Once the results are published other scientist repeat the experiments to test the validity

3. Biology has its unique struggles A huge part of gaining a valid TOK is to repeat the experiment multiple times with the same results. What inherent problem does experimenting with living organisms create as far as validating experimental results?

4. Another twist with living subjects Living things are variable –No two individuals will respond identically to the same set of circumstances –No two individuals have the same exact physiology Human beings are suggestible –If a human thinks a drug is going to heal them they often feel better –Drug testing often is done with the drug and a placebo – no one but the administers know who gets what drug

5. Ethical Questions Most humans use the principle that living things should be free to continue living unmolested With this in mind to what extent and to what end are humans justified in interfering with other living things our search for knowledge?

6. Discussion Questions A project to look at the effectiveness of a cure for a cat flu that you intend to test on cats. A project to look for the cure for AIDS that initially tests the drug for toxicity using mice An experiment to find out how the circulation of a horse works that involves dissecting a dead horse. An experiment to find out how the circulation of a horse works that involves inserting probes into a live horse that might cause some discomfort to the horse. An experiment to test the depth at which humans can dive without facing physiological consequences using volunteer divers. Exposing people to radiation to see how it effects human health. Performing scientific experiments on prisoners of war or of the justice system.

7. More questions of Moral Acceptability Why is genetic engineering worse than selective breeding? Is it okay to clone an animal but not a human? Where do we draw the line in genetically altering human fetuses? –Selecting the sex of the child? –Curing disease? –Enhancing intellect or athletic ability? –Making a carbon copy of yourself? Do we have the right to make a species extinct? –Great white sharks? –Death adder snake? –The smallpox virus? Does the government have the right to use research to make health decisions for the public? –Seat belt laws? –Immunizations against disease?