Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
the fundamental question of how we compare the future with the present, a questionConsiderintergenerational ethics: how much effort should be made in the present, and at what cost, toofpeople in the future? The more relevant question for TOK is: what do you need to know tobenefitthat question?answerReferring to the questions above, do we expect different cultures around the world, with their3.religious and spiritual beliefs, to have comparable answers?diverse4. How might we bridge the differences in responses?humankind is to have any chance of managingIfchange, of reaching a consensus andclimatean international effort, we wouldcoordinatingfrom understanding how differentbenefitnations and cultures answer these ethicalpeople,The alert reader will have noticed thequestions.embedded in the above sentence.assumptionscompletely different outcome is also possible:Atechnology bails humanity out, allowingthatto avoid these existential ethical challenges.usthere are other global issues requiringHowever,collaboration and consensuscoordination,may inspire confidence to know that questionsItknowledge and ethics are being askedaboutdiscussed outside of TOK classrooms, thatandare grappling with the political and ethicalothersthe clip from 4:50–8:15 in the video,InLucht talks about what it wouldWolfgangto build an integrated Earth modeltakeincludes physical, ecological and socialthatbased on our current knowledge.systems,of the limitations to this holistic model-Oneexercise is that the nature ofbuildingwe have about those systemsknowledgevery different. How could we move ourisknowledges into adiscipline-boundare tuned into the kinds of questions that areyouin TOK, you might start noticing them inaskedall around you. Follow the link toconversationsto a conversation between two experts fromlistenhuman sciences, pondering the essential TOKtheof the limits of knowledge in the contexttopicthe Anthropocene. Consider the kinds ofofthat guide their discussion.questionsterms: AnthropoceneSearch“Limits ofCampusHow can we make any authoritative claims1.the whole world, if our knowledge isaboutmade up of ill-fitting pieces withessentiallygaps between them?significant17:00, Lucht speaks about the balanceAtneeds to be struck between intellectualthatand the responsibility to act when wehumilityreasonably confident in our predictions.areIs there any point at which intellectual2.stops being a virtue and becomeshumilityexcuse for inaction? If so, how andanwould you draw the line?whereIV. EthicsIV. Ethicsknowledge”among different peoples and their knowledges.When it comes to the abundant scope and breadth ofIV.1 Limits to growth and the limits ofhuman knowledgethe Anthropocene and its concerns, one can ask: whatare the limits of observation, accuracy, measurement,and calculation? What are the limits of descriptiveaccounts and written representations? How can onedeal with uncertainty, ignorance, or risk?challenges of human knowledge and action. Once(www.anthropocene-curriculum.org 2014)For ref lectionThe unity of knowledge and trustingour knowledgeunified model?243
last example brings together ideas fromThethis chapter: the role of quantification,throughoutproblems of measurement and the implicationstheapplying simple knowledge to complexofAt its core, the Anthropocene mightphenomena.a problem of growth. The United Nationsbeon Sustainable Development in 2012Conferencewith the video linked here, tracing howopenedgrowth of humanity became a force that shapesthestate of the world, especially since the 1950s.thethis reason, we zoom in on knowledge issuesForgrowth—what do we know about it, what kindsofresponsibilities rest with that knowledge, andofkind of action can we take based on it?whatterms: “Welcome to theSearchon VimeoAnthropocene”knowledge in thePredictiveAnthropocenethe context of the Anthropocene, we oftenInestimates and approximations of howheartime we have to act on various issuesmuchit is too late. Predictions and fears ofbeforeand ecological collapse are certainlyeconomicnew. In 1972, systems scientists at MITnotpredicted that ecosystems wouldfamouslyby the mid-21st century. Their report,collapseto Growth”, was criticized and“Limitsas disaster fantasy, for simplisticridiculedpessimistic simulations that assumedandtechnological progress, and for havinglittle8IV. EthicsMaking connectionsKnowledge and languageThe language of growthlanguage used to describe growth has changed asTheknowledge about environmental impact and naturalourdepletion has grown. What started out asresourcegrowth evolved into sustainable growth andeconomicnow split, with the dominant concept being greenhaswhile an increasingly audible academic andgrowth,political minority advocate for a post-growth paradigm.Figure 8.6 A koala perishes in the Australian bush res of 2020the past seven decades, GDP growth has stood asForprimary economic objective of European nations.theWe are now exceeding the safe operating space…humanity on this planet, and there is no sign thatforactivity is being decoupled from resource useeconomicpollution at anything like the scale required. Today,orsocial problems within European nations doessolvingrequire more growth. It requires a fairer distributionnotof income and wealth that we already have.(ICTA 2018)For discussionan anti-growth agenda. Well before them,244
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- Page 229 and 230: II. PerspectivesIII. Methods and to
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- Page 235 and 236: III. Methods and toolsMargaret Mead
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- Page 239 and 240: III. Methods and toolstold Mahbub,
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- Page 253 and 254: to show it how it was.” This was
- Page 255 and 256: I. Scope7 raises the question of wh
- Page 257 and 258: I. Scopeis more than a matter of po
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- Page 281 and 282: IV. Ethicsin Chaptr 5. Grgory Young
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- Page 285 and 286: 10chapter explores the human encoun
- Page 287 and 288: I. Scopethe historical development
- Page 289 and 290: I. Scopehas the status of women art
- Page 291 and 292: I. ScopeTruth and knowledge in art:
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last example brings together ideas from
The
this chapter: the role of quantification,
throughout
problems of measurement and the implications
the
applying simple knowledge to complex
of
At its core, the Anthropocene might
phenomena.
a problem of growth. The United Nations
be
on Sustainable Development in 2012
Conference
with the video linked here, tracing how
opened
growth of humanity became a force that shapes
the
state of the world, especially since the 1950s.
the
this reason, we zoom in on knowledge issues
For
growth—what do we know about it, what kinds
of
responsibilities rest with that knowledge, and
of
kind of action can we take based on it?
what
terms: “Welcome to the
Search
on Vimeo
Anthropocene”
knowledge in the
Predictive
Anthropocene
the context of the Anthropocene, we often
In
estimates and approximations of how
hear
time we have to act on various issues
much
it is too late. Predictions and fears of
before
and ecological collapse are certainly
economic
new. In 1972, systems scientists at MIT
not
predicted that ecosystems would
famously
by the mid-21st century. Their report,
collapse
to Growth”, was criticized and
“Limits
as disaster fantasy, for simplistic
ridiculed
pessimistic simulations that assumed
and
technological progress, and for having
little
8IV. Ethics
Making connections
Knowledge and language
The language of growth
language used to describe growth has changed as
The
knowledge about environmental impact and natural
our
depletion has grown. What started out as
resource
growth evolved into sustainable growth and
economic
now split, with the dominant concept being green
has
while an increasingly audible academic and
growth,
political minority advocate for a post-growth paradigm.
Figure 8.6 A koala perishes in the Australian bush res of 2020
the past seven decades, GDP growth has stood as
For
primary economic objective of European nations.
the
We are now exceeding the safe operating space
…
humanity on this planet, and there is no sign that
for
activity is being decoupled from resource use
economic
pollution at anything like the scale required. Today,
or
social problems within European nations does
solving
require more growth. It requires a fairer distribution
not
of income and wealth that we already have.
(ICTA 2018)
For discussion
an anti-growth agenda. Well before them,
244