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

unpacking the PT is something you do
Finally,
as a step in the process of thinking about
both
essay and in the writing of your essay.
your
effective introduction will include your
An
of what the question is asking
understanding
as well as your plan for how you are going
for
approach and explore it. Meaningfully
to
the prescribed title is a critical first
unpacking
in structuring the argumentative arc of
step
response.
your
you have a good understanding of the
Once
title and what it asks for, it is time
prescribed
articulate a few arguments in response, and
to
thinking about what kind of evidence you
start
offer in support. Note here that the way you
can
your response in writing does not need to
advance
your thinking process—will you lead with
follow
examples, or with your arguments? Either
your
how you might construct a response
Consider
this PT from May 2016.
to
knowledge there is always a trade-off
“In
accuracy and simplicity.” Evaluate
between
statement in relation to two areas of
this
knowledge.
is a lot in this PT that requires careful
There
For example, the title says “in
unpacking.
without identifying a specific
knowledge”,
or context. You may choose to respond
process
this title by exploring how the trade-off
to
accuracy and simplicity manifests
between
the context of 1) the production and 2) the
in
of knowledge in two AOKs. Before
transfer
continue, it is important to note that when
we
PT calls for a discussion of the production
a
knowledge, then it is appropriate to focus
of
on the activities of specialists and
specifically
fine for the purposes of the TOK essay, and the
is
of your essay should be able to adapt to
structure
fact, conforming your essay to a strict
In
of claim-counterclaim or example-
structure
can lead to generalizations,
counterexample
distinctions, misrepresentations and
arbitrary
dichotomies. Exploring a range of evidence,
false
within and across AOKs, allows you to
from
some nuance and honour the complexity
offer
messiness of knowledge in the real world.
and
is essential that your examples are grounded
It
the real world, that they refer to how actual
in
and students of different disciplines
practitioners
and share knowledge. Hypothetical and
gain
examples, as well as anecdotal ones
speculative
are impossible to verify, are therefore rarely
that
The kind of support you offer for your
effective.
should reflect what you have learned
arguments
this course about what makes for good
in
evidence.
the first part of your essay you can explore
In
alleged inverse relationship between
the
and simplicity in how knowledge
accuracy
produced in two AOKs. Combinations of
is
proof and natural laws, models
mathematical
economic and biological processes, scientific
of
political theories, historical narratives
and
art performances can be invoked here
and
explore the accuracy and simplicity in
to
production.
knowledge
It is not uncommon for students to
•
choose AOKs that seem
opportunistically
give opposing answers to the question
to
hand. This can result in arguments
at
one thing happens in one AOK and
that
the opposite happens in the other.
exactly
arguments tend to be supported by
These
examples, that misrepresent
oversimplified
II. THE ESSAY
12
the type of prescribed title you have chosen.
II.2 Articulating arguments and
supporting them with examples
Here are some pitfalls to avoid
experts in the AOKs.
the AOKs as monoliths.
371