Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

the political will to measure something
Once
the measures themselves can be improved
exists,
until then, raw data can be used,
iteratively;
example on carbon footprints or species
for
care should be taken to ensure measures
Finally,
not obscure important details. GDP per
do
reveals nothing about the distribution
capita
gains from growth and can provide an
of
sense of prosperity. An important case
illusory
point is the difference between averages
in
medians, which may go unnoticed by
and
Forexample, looking at median
laypeople.
instead of simple averages very
incomes
revealsimportant information about
quickly
of values. Average incomes have
thedistribution
sharply in many countries over the last
risen
years, but median incomes have stagnated,
30
in the United States and the UK.
especially
1989 and 2011, median incomes in the
Between
States fell by 1% but average incomes
United
8.3 shows the divergence in average
Figure
median US family incomes beginning in
and
measurements better indicate what
Median
to a “typical” person, in the exact
happens
of a distribution. Averages appear to
middle
intuitive sense but reveal comparatively
make
If economic policies targeted growth
little.
median GDP per capita, instead of average
in
per capita, they might look very
GDP
differentindeed.
III. Methods and tools
III. Methods and tools
Making connections
Measurement, policy and the political discourse
In Chapter 7, IV.3, we explore the limitations of
environmental cost-benet analyses, and why
climate change has been called the perfect moral
storm. Part of the challenge is in measuring, and
quantifying, the things that matter.
“We can put monetary values on mineral
stocks, sheries and even forests, perhaps,
but it’s hard to put a monetary value on
alteration of the climate system, loss of
species and the consequences that might
come from those.” (Heal quoted in
Gertner 2010)
Measuring directly relevant indicators of
rose by 33%. Why is this difference important?
health, education, environment, crime and civic
participation, and providing this information to the
public can help to shift political discourse away from
opinions and values towards more evidence-based
about1955.
discussions of specic policies.
extinction.
Figure 8.4 The mean versus the median of family income (2015)
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