Core Theme: Knowledge & The Knower
This theme focuses on how individuals shape and are shaped by the knowledge they acquire.
What is Knowledge & the Knower?
This optional theme examines how values and beliefs influence the production of knowledge.
What is ethics?
In the natural sciences, this method is central to resolving epistemological problems.
This concept refers to the belief that knowledge is shaped by cultural and historical contexts.
What is relativism?
This epistemological problem arises from the difficulty of distinguishing justified beliefs from opinions.
What is the problem of justification?
This element of TOK involves examining how personal experiences influence the ways we understand knowledge.
What is subjectivity?
Power dynamics shape knowledge in this theme.
What is politics?
In the arts, this concept refers to how interpretation and creativity influence the creation of knowledge.
What is aesthetic judgement?
This key concept is central to evaluating and justifying beliefs in TOK.
What is evidence?
Acknowledging limits resolves conflicts like this.
What is knowledge conflict?
This term describes the ability to challenge one’s own beliefs and consider alternative perspectives.
This theme explores how traditions and practices in different cultures influence knowledge systems.
What is indigenous societies?
History promotes reflection on this bias.
What is historical bias?
Recognizing this improves critical thinking.
What is multiple perspectives?
How does TOK enhance other disciplines?
What is by providing tools to evaluate claims critically and question assumptions?
This aspect of the core theme involves reflecting on how biases influence both the acquisition and sharing of knowledge.
What is the influence of bias?
Technology changes this aspect of knowing.
What is critical thinking?
Name an epistemological challenge in the human sciences.
What is the problem of researcher bias
This concept involves questioning the certainty of knowledge claims.
What is doubt?
This element of TOK involves connecting knowledge across disciplines to solve complex problems.
What is interdisciplinary thinking?
This aspect of the core theme emphasizes the importance of including multiple viewpoints to enrich our understanding of knowledge
What is Diverse Perspectives?
Name one epistemological problem linked to religious knowledge systems.
What is the difficulty of verifying metaphysical claims?
This area of knowledge relies heavily on deductive reasoning and abstract thought.
What is mathematics?
Knowledge linked to ethical concerns.
What is ethical responsibility?
Reason provides this for resolving conflicts.
What is a logical framework?