TOK paper

000349-016

8. Some experts (athletes, dancers, musicians, visual artists, cabinet makers, lab technicians, mechanics, surgeons, etc.) may have acquired knowledge that is difficult to describe in words. Does this mean that other Ways of Knowing play a more important role than language in knowing how to do something?

The TOK diagram provides a vast Area of Knowledge, such as: mathematics, natural sciences, human sciences, history, the arts and ethics and narrows down to four main Ways of Knowing, also known as: emotion, reason, perception and language. These four characteristics all have a very important role in the completion of the diagram; that is why from my point of view, they all are of great importance in knowing how to do something.

“An expert is someone widely recognized as a source of , , or whose judgment is accorded authority and status by the public or their peers. The expert differs from the in that a specialist has to be able to solve a and an expert has to know its solution”. Most experts to progress as: athletes, dancers, musicians, visual artists, cabinet makers, lab technicians, mechanics, surgeons, need to be able to use most of the criteria of the Ways of Knowing, and not just one aspect in particular. For example a dancer needs to expose to the viewer the emotion, reason, perception and language, while performing. “Experts have prolonged or intense experience through practice and education in a particular field […] it is not necessary for an individual to have a professional or academic qualification for them to be accepted as an expert. In this respect, a shepherd with 50 years of experience tending flocks would be widely recognized as having complete expertise in the use and training of sheep dogs and the care of sheep”. In the example of the shepherd, it can be said that more than one aspect of the TOK diagram is used, to be able to contoll a herd of sheep. Not only does a sheperd need to use physical language but also oral, to controll and direct this particular group of animals. Reason and perception are also two very important componets used by a shepherd when controlling his sheep. This because he needs to be able to know where, how and when to direct the group of sheep. Another example of how it is important for an expert to use a vast variety of areas of knowledge, could be when looking in detail at an athlete and the type of characteristics any sportsperson needs to exceed in their sport, emotion, reason, perception and language, are all attributes that if lacking would be difficult, almost impossible to become the best in a sport. For instance, if analyzing a professional tennis player, one might think that out of the four Ways of Knowing, only that of perception is used, but it is not so. Perception is a very important component of what makes up a tennis player, this because it allows the athlete to be fast in running towards the ball, this alongside language, reason and emotion. During a tennis match body language is used very much, and if a player is showing a negative aspect of this, it will help his opponent see when and what is making this certain athlete tired. Reason and emotion are both considered being a mental strength that in that in any sport is seen as being very important. Emotion is a quality, that in any sport or profession is probably thought to be less important, but from my point of view, this should not be considered to be true. Emotions have a very important role also in the example of the tennis player. When playing a match, if the athlete is able control his/her emotions, this meaning to not show his/ her anger or sadness, than they are able to take control over the match. This because not showing the negative emotions to the opponents, means that they are able to filter, and provide less information, that might help whomever they are playing against.

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In everything we do, from a musician to a surgeon, the four Ways of Knowing are used to make a person grow to be the best in what they want to be. For example, when analyzing two distinct jobs like a musician and a surgeon; they both in different ways use: (emotions, reason, language and perception). A musician may show more emotion, when playing the violin at the opera, than a surgeon that is performing a heart operation; but this does not mean that the surgeon has no emotion. When watching the expression on the face of the violinist at the opera makes the viewing more enjoyable. A surgeon on the other hand may not show his emotions, but this is because he has the strength to control himself. The same can be said when referring to language; the musician and the surgeon certainly have two distinct types of language; this as well as the body language. A surgeon most probably makes small and delicate movements to perform an operation, while a musician, according to the music might have a more rhythmic body movement. This does not mean that one language is less important than the other, but simply stating that all professions may have different ways of portraying their emotions, reason, language and perception, but that are all equally important.

Even if used in different ways, language is always the only area of knowledge used to communicate with each other. It may be written language, oral, or sign, but the main goal of this area is to communicate a thought, idea, or criticism. Probably in today’s society without the use of language, social buildings, like schools, libraries, etc, would not exist, this meaning that human beings would not advance intellectually. With the help of advancement in technology: television, radio, newspaper, language is the only tool used to communicate and to transmit the information that is given to the people. Language is and has been the only source of communication used since the creation of life on earth. When looking at the title of the essay: “Does this mean that other Ways of Knowing play a more important role than language in knowing how to do something”, one might say that in many cases this can be considered as to be true. There are some experts that do not need to use language to be great in what they do. On the other hand there are also experts like singers, dancers, comedians, that without the use of this particular area of Knowledge would not be able exceed in their profession.

In today’s society, due to the vast quantities of professions people practice, it is difficult to establish all the knowledge’s that they have acquired in words, this does no mean that there are more important ways of knowing than others, but simply signifies that different jobs, professions, hobbies all have a different way of portraying knowledge, that are all equally important. If there actually were other Ways of Knowing more important than language in knowing how to do something, than I probably would not be here writing this essay, because there would be a more significant area in the diagram of TOK, that would help me expose my thoughts, ideas and criticisms.

Bibliography

Nicholas Alchin,Theory Of Knowledge, John Murray (Publishers) Ltd, London, 2003.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert