Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
when people’s beliefs are threatened,“…often take flight to a land where factstheynot matter. In scientific terms, theirdobecome less ‘falsifiable’ becausebeliefsdo you pursue and acquire knowledge?Howsection invites your curiosity about yourTheof thinking, which are some of the toolshabitsmethods in your thinking toolkit, for use inandof the process of examining your habitsPartthinking is understanding how you haveofparticular habits and not others.acquiredpart of the process is to take ownershipAnotherresponsibility for your habits of mind;andthat habits are developed, not fixed,recognizingtherefore can be improved upon. Habitsandalso stubborn, and so changing them isareintentional process that requires effort andanHow would you like to be able toconsistency.What does it mean, to you, to have goodthink?and methods for acquiring knowledge?toolssection is informed by research inThisand loosely inspired by themetacognition,of Gregory Bateson and the work onthoughtThinking by Project Zero at HarvardVisiblecan no longer be tested scientificallytheyverification or refutation.” (Friesen et alforIB classes are a form of apprenticeshipYourthinking like a historian, physicist, artist,intolinguist. Or is that really so? The precedingorassumes a knowledge claim aboutstatementcorrelation between academic educationtheindividuals’ habits of mind. It should notandaccepted at face value. What standards ofbeor appeals to authority could you makeevidencewe can say that through studyingRegardless,IB Diploma Programme you acquire not onlythebut also tools and methods specific toknowledgedisciplines you are learning about.theTOK you have an opportunity to step back andInfor example: when is it appropriate to useask,tools and methods of history or mathematics?theis it helpful or necessary to combineWhenapproaches, and when is it impracticaldifferentimpossible?oris typically readily available to us is whatWhatthink—our opinions and beliefs and whatweclaim to know. Less readily available, andwealtogether invisible to us, is how wesometimescome to know, believe or hold opinionshavethings. Much of this book is dedicatedaboutexamining how we acquire knowledge. Thistofocuses not only on what you think,sectionand believe, but also on how you come toknowthink and believe it.know,II. PerspectivesIII. Methods and toolsIII. Methods and toolsquoted in Campbell, Friesen 2015)I I I . M E T H O D S A N D T O O LSIII.1 Thinking patterns and habitsyour pursuit of knowledge.in support or against this claim?University.13
III. Methods and toolsterms: NYT New YorkSearch40 intriguing picturesTimesNew York Times’ “What’s Going On in ThisTheis an engaging starting point to beginPicture?”your thinking habits. The link onidentifyingpage takes you to pictures like the onethisthe picture on this page or anyConsiderfrom the link below it.picturecarefully at the picture you have chosen,Lookrespond to the following questions.and1. What is going on in the picture?Explain why you answered question 1 as2.did. Include evidence for any claimsyouwithout comment or caption. Chosenpresentedtheir ambiguity, they allow for multipleforIn thinking about what is goinginterpretations.in each picture, respondents are invited also toonwhat informs their answer and how theyconsiderat it. As you form an opinion or beliefarrivedwhat you see in the picture, consider howaboutare encountering the uncertain, unknownyou3. Why might the things you see beuse the following questions to guideNext,reflection about your claims, opinions andyourWhat factors make you more likely to apply4.knowledge to what you see ratherpastfocusing entirely on the information atthanhand?1above, sourced from the New York Times andandunclear.For discussion“What’s going on in this picture?”happening?beliefs.you have made.14
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when people’s beliefs are threatened,
“…
often take flight to a land where facts
they
not matter. In scientific terms, their
do
become less ‘falsifiable’ because
beliefs
do you pursue and acquire knowledge?
How
section invites your curiosity about your
The
of thinking, which are some of the tools
habits
methods in your thinking toolkit, for use in
and
of the process of examining your habits
Part
thinking is understanding how you have
of
particular habits and not others.
acquired
part of the process is to take ownership
Another
responsibility for your habits of mind;
and
that habits are developed, not fixed,
recognizing
therefore can be improved upon. Habits
and
also stubborn, and so changing them is
are
intentional process that requires effort and
an
How would you like to be able to
consistency.
What does it mean, to you, to have good
think?
and methods for acquiring knowledge?
tools
section is informed by research in
This
and loosely inspired by the
metacognition,
of Gregory Bateson and the work on
thought
Thinking by Project Zero at Harvard
Visible
can no longer be tested scientifically
they
verification or refutation.” (Friesen et al
for
IB classes are a form of apprenticeship
Your
thinking like a historian, physicist, artist,
into
linguist. Or is that really so? The preceding
or
assumes a knowledge claim about
statement
correlation between academic education
the
individuals’ habits of mind. It should not
and
accepted at face value. What standards of
be
or appeals to authority could you make
evidence
we can say that through studying
Regardless,
IB Diploma Programme you acquire not only
the
but also tools and methods specific to
knowledge
disciplines you are learning about.
the
TOK you have an opportunity to step back and
In
for example: when is it appropriate to use
ask,
tools and methods of history or mathematics?
the
is it helpful or necessary to combine
When
approaches, and when is it impractical
different
impossible?
or
is typically readily available to us is what
What
think—our opinions and beliefs and what
we
claim to know. Less readily available, and
we
altogether invisible to us, is how we
sometimes
come to know, believe or hold opinions
have
things. Much of this book is dedicated
about
examining how we acquire knowledge. This
to
focuses not only on what you think,
section
and believe, but also on how you come to
know
think and believe it.
know,
II. Perspectives
III. Methods and tools
III. Methods and tools
quoted in Campbell, Friesen 2015)
I I I . M E T H O D S A N D T O O LS
III.1 Thinking patterns and habits
your pursuit of knowledge.
in support or against this claim?
University.
13