K and the Knower
The IB Theory of knowledge course does not put tight definitional boundaries around this absolutely central idea. Instead, it prompts you to consider what this cental concept means in different parts of your life, in different social contexts and from different perspectives.
What is knowledge?
This kind of knowledge is focused on what you (or I) know.
What is individual or personal knowledge?
Refers to the relationship between what we understand about the world, and the moral values we construct. Helps inform our decision-making. They are ideas not only about how things are, but also how they should be. They cannot be proved right.
What are values?
This is a way of justifying knowledge in the natural sciences (Hit: inductive and deductive are two types).
What is reasoning?
This is one of the goals of the scientific method, which implies a neutral approach to the object of study and will allow explanations that provide ample evidence that can be replicated.
What is objectivity?
TOK you attempt to be open to alternative __________ and to be able to assess them critically. You often seek out a ‘variety of ____' on a topic when you want to understand it ‘from all angles’.
What are perspectives?
This kind of knowledge focuses on what a group knows.
What is shared knowledge?
The condition of being accountable for or to blame for something such as the production of particular knowledge. Connect to Ethics.
What is responsibility?
The philosopher who introduced this idea. The scientist must be open to falsifiability, which means that it has to be possible to disapprove the theory using evidence, as contradictory as this may sound.
Who was Karl Popper?
One of the most abstract concepts in TOK. The goal of this concept is to eliminate error and falsehood, to understand reality as it is and ourselves as we are. In different contexts, people seek this in different ways and often claim to have found it.
What is Truth?
The objectives of the TOK course make it clear that understanding different __________ is important for performing well in assessment. To score well on the externally graded essay, notice that the marking criteria reward you if you demonstrate that you can recognise different _____________ and examine them critically. To score well on the internal assessment, notice how many of the prompts direct you towards being aware of different ___________ and encourage you to take one thoughtfully of your own.
What are perspectives or points of view?
This kind of knowledge comes through living.
What is experiential knowledge?
Something that is needed to justify a claim about knowledge. It plays a central role in the production of knowledge in the Natural Sciences.
What is evidence?
According to Thomas Khun, this is the stage of science where scientists accept certain norms and don't question everything.
What is normal Science?
"Knowledge is __________". This concept applies to knowers who have control or influence vs those who don't.
What is power?
A cognitive feature of your brain that influences you to notice and accept information that fits with what you already believe.
What is cognitive bias?
This kind of knowledge can best be expressed through tying a shoelace, or making nasi goreng.
What is procedural knowledge (or 'knowing how' knowledge)?
In knowing, is _________ a goal? A necessity? An illusion? Or a road block? (Top secret hint: ALL OF THE ABOVE)
What is certainty?
Reliable shared knowledge in science is promoted through this. When knowledge has passed through this 'process' it is accepted by the ‘scientific community.
What is the peer-review process?
This TOK concept is about providing good reasons for accepting and/ or asserting a claim. What qualifies as a good reason depends on the nature of the knowledge claim, its context, and the people doing the evaluating.
What is justification?
Something we learned from the Scout's mindset Ted talk. Developing and sustaining this quality or attribute, in the real world of unfamiliar and sometimes conflicting perspectives, demands awareness and active engagement. (It's also one of the IB learner attributes).
What is open-mindedness?
In TOK, we are asking these questions all the time. In order for a question to be this type of question it must meet the following two criteria:
What is a knowledge question?
We each have one or more of these that influences what we know about the world. In TOK we strive to explore others, not just our own. We can also view knowledge through this lens meaning that within each AOK we can also view knowledge production, acquisition or creation from a particular ___________.
What is perspective?
This method is vital for all scientific knowledge. Knowledge in this AOK must be based on evidence and produced under the rules of this method.
What is the scientific method?
"a body of laws and traditions, a moral and ethical code that insulates a people from the barbaric heart that lies just beneath the surface of all human societies." Wade Davis
What is culture?