Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
is beyond rationality or irrationality, suchwhichcompassion, love, reverence and faith. Do youaswith this dichotomy that Raman is posing?agreeor whynot?Whystatus does religious knowledge have inWhatof legitimacy and reliability in comparisontermsthe other areas of knowledge? What contextualtoaffect its status? Why is it not consideredfactorsarea of knowledge? How would you respondanclaims that non-Abrahamic traditions, ortoreligions, as Raman argues, are more“Eastern”with the scientific pursuit of knowledge?alignedexplore this line of enquiry further, refer toTo(2010) and Wallace (2003).Capraespecially in its pop cultureBuddhism,is often framed in psychologicalimagining,as a “science of the mind”, or alternativelyterms,more of a philosophy than a religion. Evenasearly as 1974, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpocheaspredicted that “Buddhism will come tohadWest as a psychology” (quoted in GolemanthePerhaps these interpretations of Buddhism2004).tell us more about the cultures toultimatelyit is spreading, than about Buddhismwhichis often perceived as spreadingGlobalizationprivileged set of knowledges and culturesathe world. How have religiousaroundand practices met this force?communitiesthe scope of religious thought expands,Whensome religions becoming global, it iswithto consider how the global modernizedinterestingof those religions compares with the moreversioncontextualized versions at their origin.locallyreligious knowledge be independent fromCanplace and people who produced it? Whiletheknowledge can travel far, to what extentreligiousit be understood by those outside of thecancommunity? For example, we considerreligiousknowledge issues involved in translationtheChapter 4. To what extent can religiousinbe thought of as consistent or truthful,knowledgetranslations and other transfers are used?whenwhat extent would you agree that TibetanToin California, and Tibetan Buddhism inBuddhismare the same religion? More generally, howTibet,religious knowledge spread, and how mightdoeswe mentioned the enduring pluralism ofEarlier,practices in the modern world. Therereligioustoday over a million Buddhists in Northarethe vast majority of whom were notAmerica,to the faith. In Europe, there is a significantbornpopulation—tens of millions—andMuslimin places such as the Netherlands. Acrossrisingworld, practitioners and believers ofthefaiths are sharing space. Are religiousdifferentencountering one another andknowledgesinto conversation any differently fromenteringways they have in the past?themany places around the world, religiousInand identity were until very recentlyknowledgeII. PerspectivesI. ScopeII. PerspectivesThe very idea that Buddhism had anything to do withpsychology was at the time for most of us in the eldpatently absurd. But that attitude reected more ourown naivete than anything to do with Buddhism.(Goleman 2004)itself.it change in response to being spread?I I . P E R S P E C T I V E SII.1 Engaging with religious multiplicityinherited; they were forms of learning the values145
II. Perspectivespractices of the culture in a community orandAs people become more mobile, comfortableplace.independent of their home communities, theyandthe opportunity and challenge of crafting theirfaceand/or religious identities. Some peoplespiritualplaces have come into this faster than others,andto sociologist Peter Berger, for most ofAccordingpeople would rarely, if ever, encounterhistory,of a different religion; to be of a certainsomeonein a given village would be self-evident,religioninevitable and taken for granted. Withnatural,and secularism, people had theglobalizationopportunity of imagining other possibilities.newdescribes modernity as “a giganticBergerfrom destiny to choice” in whichtransformation“must choose what they believe, howpeopledefine themselves, how they are to live”theyin Tippett 2006a). People now encounter(quotedeven neighbours, with very differentothers,beliefs and world views. Has thisreligioushow we value and perceive religiouschangedWhat else has been affected?knowledge?cosmopolitan cities around the world,Indiversity is being championed andreligiousas well as feared and resisted. It addscelebrated,the richness of human experience as well astothe insecurity of those who feel threatenedtochange. Reverend angel Kyodo williams hasbyreligious diversity. Where diversityinvestigatedbeen welcomed, williams observes thathasidentities and sense of thriving is notpeople’son religious sameness. Instead, thedependentsense of mobility and spaciousnessheightenedaccompanies religious diversity outweighsthatunease. However, some communities do feeltheby religious diversity. In light of whatthreatenedwhat it means when people say theyConsiderreligious or spiritual, or when they specifyareWhat relationship do spirituality and1.belief have to knowledge, inreligiousHow are religious knowledge2.norms, traditions andcommunities,(a) religious people(b) those who are spiritual but not religiousof the themes within diversity is tolerance,Onerefers not simply to accepting people whowhichdifferent, but also tolerating people who youarenot like or agree with, or who do seeminglydois worth considering what skills might beItof the knower in navigating therequiredof religious pluralism effectively andlandscapeWe briefly explore the relationshiprespectfully.religious knowledge and the conceptbetweentruth below. How might we evaluate theof6For ref lectionThe spiritual and religiousthat they are spiritual but not religious.creating another layer of friction.terms of:(a) what is considered a reliable source ofknowledgewho has the authority and/(b)legitimacy to decide what isorknowledge?institutions seen differentlyby:(c) those who are neither spiritual norreligious?strange or nonsensical things.you have read, why might this be the case?competing claims of different religions?Does religion seek truth?intellectual tradition has broader meaning, as well asspecic connotations. Learn more about the relationshipWhat kind of knowledge is religious knowledge? Therebetween ‘ilm and the pursuit, acquisition and applicationare diverse perspectives about how knowledge isof knowledge by following the link.perceived in religious traditions and in, for example,mainstream pop culture, TOK and the IB DiplomaSearch terms: Islamic concept ofknowledge al-islamProgramme. Consider the Arabic word ‘ilm (), which iscommonly translated as “knowledge”, but in the Islamic146
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II. Perspectives
practices of the culture in a community or
and
As people become more mobile, comfortable
place.
independent of their home communities, they
and
the opportunity and challenge of crafting their
face
and/or religious identities. Some people
spiritual
places have come into this faster than others,
and
to sociologist Peter Berger, for most of
According
people would rarely, if ever, encounter
history,
of a different religion; to be of a certain
someone
in a given village would be self-evident,
religion
inevitable and taken for granted. With
natural,
and secularism, people had the
globalization
opportunity of imagining other possibilities.
new
describes modernity as “a gigantic
Berger
from destiny to choice” in which
transformation
“must choose what they believe, how
people
define themselves, how they are to live”
they
in Tippett 2006a). People now encounter
(quoted
even neighbours, with very different
others,
beliefs and world views. Has this
religious
how we value and perceive religious
changed
What else has been affected?
knowledge?
cosmopolitan cities around the world,
In
diversity is being championed and
religious
as well as feared and resisted. It adds
celebrated,
the richness of human experience as well as
to
the insecurity of those who feel threatened
to
change. Reverend angel Kyodo williams has
by
religious diversity. Where diversity
investigated
been welcomed, williams observes that
has
identities and sense of thriving is not
people’s
on religious sameness. Instead, the
dependent
sense of mobility and spaciousness
heightened
accompanies religious diversity outweighs
that
unease. However, some communities do feel
the
by religious diversity. In light of what
threatened
what it means when people say they
Consider
religious or spiritual, or when they specify
are
What relationship do spirituality and
1.
belief have to knowledge, in
religious
How are religious knowledge
2.
norms, traditions and
communities,
(a) religious people
(b) those who are spiritual but not religious
of the themes within diversity is tolerance,
One
refers not simply to accepting people who
which
different, but also tolerating people who you
are
not like or agree with, or who do seemingly
do
is worth considering what skills might be
It
of the knower in navigating the
required
of religious pluralism effectively and
landscape
We briefly explore the relationship
respectfully.
religious knowledge and the concept
between
truth below. How might we evaluate the
of
6
For ref lection
The spiritual and religious
that they are spiritual but not religious.
creating another layer of friction.
terms of:
(a) what is considered a reliable source of
knowledge
who has the authority and/
(b)
legitimacy to decide what is
or
knowledge?
institutions seen differentlyby:
(c) those who are neither spiritual nor
religious?
strange or nonsensical things.
you have read, why might this be the case?
competing claims of different religions?
Does religion seek truth?
intellectual tradition has broader meaning, as well as
specic connotations. Learn more about the relationship
What kind of knowledge is religious knowledge? There
between ‘ilm and the pursuit, acquisition and application
are diverse perspectives about how knowledge is
of knowledge by following the link.
perceived in religious traditions and in, for example,
mainstream pop culture, TOK and the IB Diploma
Search terms: Islamic concept of
knowledge al-islam
Programme. Consider the Arabic word ‘ilm (
), which is
commonly translated as “knowledge”, but in the Islamic
146