Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
What kinds of knowledge is it possible(a)demonstrate in this way?toWhat kinds of knowledge are not(b)by IB assessments, and whatcapturedNow think about life outside of your IB5.and the other ways of knowing andstudiesHow do you value these as compared(a)the knowledge you acquire in the IBtoour ignorance (whether individual or collective)…a vast, fathomless sea; our knowledge but a small,isisland. Even the shoreline is uncertain: bothinsecurehistory of the human race and psychologicalthesuggest that we know even less than weresearchwe do. Indeed, our ignorance is extensivethinkHow much time and effort do you, and(b)you, give to acquiring knowledge incanThroughout this book and the TOK course6.grapple with the concepts of neutralityweTo what extent would you say that(a)in the IB DiplomaknowledgeWhat criteria would you use to(b)this?determineI. ScopeI. Scopedifferent ways outside of the IB?may be the consequences of this?and objectivity, among others.learning you have access to.Programme is objective and/orneutral?Diploma Programme?I.2 “Here be dragons”beyond our reckoning.(DeNicola 2017)5
I. ScopeWhat factors limit our knowledge in the1.domains, such as science, artdifferentTo what extent do the different areas of2.cover the range of what there isknowledgeknow? Use prompts (a) and (b) to guidetoapproach to this question.yoursimply, people tend to do what they“Putand fail to do that which they haveknowconception of. In that way, ignorancenochannels the course we take inprofoundlyis a big subject. Ignorance“Knowledgebigger. And it is more interesting.”isconsequences of our knowledge andThecan be significant. At its mostignoranceignorance pertains to that which weextreme,not even know that we do not know. Lessdoare known unknowns, the limitationsextremeknowledge in our present state. Ignoranceofalso be understood as uncertainty incanreliability of our claims, which can betheand overcome to an extent by furtherimprovedprecision and iteration. There may bestudy,both known and unknown, to ourlimitations,to know more, and therefore we need tocapacityDoes knowledge in religion extend to(a)scientific knowledge cannot?whereDoes art take over from mathematics at(b)point?someHow have humans overcome the limits to3.in the past?knowledgeCould you definitively say something is4.our collective scope of knowledge?beyondignorance is culturally induced, throughSomefailure to spread or acquire knowledgeaThis may present as gaps ineffectively.(for example, scientific or cultural)literaciesleave knowers and citizens vulnerable inthatwhere they need to make decisions,domainsexample by voting, about things theyfornot fully understand. Collective gaps indocan lead to epistemic injustice,knowledgein cross-cultural situations; for moreespeciallyignorance can be the deliberateFinally,of doubt, propagation of falsehoodspromotingimpact of ignorance depends on contextThethe nature of ignorance in question. Keepandon your mind as you move throughignorancetextbook and the TOK course. It is easy tothiswhen we are concerned with studyingforgetTo what extent do we knowknowledge.through studying knowledge? Couldignorancecourse accurately be called the theory ofthis1For discussionThe limits of knowledgeor history?How would you know this?Box 1.1: The impact of ignoranceThink about the two views given below.life.” (Dunning quoted in Morris 2010)(Firestein 2012)on this see IV.3.or blocking of knowledge through censorship.develop means to accept a degree of uncertainty.ignorance?6
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I. Scope
What factors limit our knowledge in the
1.
domains, such as science, art
different
To what extent do the different areas of
2.
cover the range of what there is
knowledge
know? Use prompts (a) and (b) to guide
to
approach to this question.
your
simply, people tend to do what they
“Put
and fail to do that which they have
know
conception of. In that way, ignorance
no
channels the course we take in
profoundly
is a big subject. Ignorance
“Knowledge
bigger. And it is more interesting.”
is
consequences of our knowledge and
The
can be significant. At its most
ignorance
ignorance pertains to that which we
extreme,
not even know that we do not know. Less
do
are known unknowns, the limitations
extreme
knowledge in our present state. Ignorance
of
also be understood as uncertainty in
can
reliability of our claims, which can be
the
and overcome to an extent by further
improved
precision and iteration. There may be
study,
both known and unknown, to our
limitations,
to know more, and therefore we need to
capacity
Does knowledge in religion extend to
(a)
scientific knowledge cannot?
where
Does art take over from mathematics at
(b)
point?
some
How have humans overcome the limits to
3.
in the past?
knowledge
Could you definitively say something is
4.
our collective scope of knowledge?
beyond
ignorance is culturally induced, through
Some
failure to spread or acquire knowledge
a
This may present as gaps in
effectively.
(for example, scientific or cultural)
literacies
leave knowers and citizens vulnerable in
that
where they need to make decisions,
domains
example by voting, about things they
for
not fully understand. Collective gaps in
do
can lead to epistemic injustice,
knowledge
in cross-cultural situations; for more
especially
ignorance can be the deliberate
Finally,
of doubt, propagation of falsehoods
promoting
impact of ignorance depends on context
The
the nature of ignorance in question. Keep
and
on your mind as you move through
ignorance
textbook and the TOK course. It is easy to
this
when we are concerned with studying
forget
To what extent do we know
knowledge.
through studying knowledge? Could
ignorance
course accurately be called the theory of
this
1
For discussion
The limits of knowledge
or history?
How would you know this?
Box 1.1: The impact of ignorance
Think about the two views given below.
life.” (Dunning quoted in Morris 2010)
(Firestein 2012)
on this see IV.3.
or blocking of knowledge through censorship.
develop means to accept a degree of uncertainty.
ignorance?
6