How can the different ways of knowing help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true?
IB - Theory of Knowledge - Essay Munich International School By: Pooja Pandey IB Year 2 - May 2010 Candidate Number: 00169 - 056 Word Count: 1587 Date: 25 January 2010 Supervisor: Mr. Joshi How can the different ways of knowing help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true? Truth is relative, absolute, objective, subjective etc, many great philosophers have tried to define truth like Plato with his correspondence theory. This theory states that true beliefs and true statements usually correspond to reality, this a very traditional model which was popular with Plato. Since, there are so many definitions and theories of truth, there isn't really a real definition for truth but all these theories are correct because they cannot be proven wrong. However, we all know that truth exists, and it can be explained through the many different ways of knowing which are: emotion, reason, perception and language which are used by us in our day to day lives. However, there is a difference between believing something is true like religion which changes from person to person and it being true in real life such as facts like math; I have divided truth into two main parts: subjective and objective. To support these I have accompanied each of the ways of knowing with examples from various areas of knowledge mainly using math, science,
Seven Days: A Brief History. During the week of November 7th to November 13th of 2011, there were a vast number of events that occurred worldwide that made headlines and affect people in some way. In this following paper, the events that have passed in t
Alejandro Peña Theory of Knowledge 7 November 2011 Seven Days: A Brief History As one sees what happens every day in their lives, one never takes to think that a single thing can change how others live. These incidents can be seen different based on how important it is. In the course of a week, there have been many events that have happened that have affected people here in the United States and people around the world. These events come in the form of political, economic, and social occurrences. During the week of November 7th to November 13th of 2011, there were a vast number of events that occurred worldwide that made headlines and affect people in some way. In this following paper, the events that have passed in this week have been documented and will be discussed in further detail stating why those events are important to people and how it can affect their futures. Of the course of course of seven days, many things occurred but only the top occurrences were the ones that stood out the most. In the day of November 7th, the events that happened on this included from the Michael Jackson death case in which the jury found Conrad Murray guilty two years after the death of pop singer Michael Jackson.1 Also, on Monday, the country of Greece were under a negotiation to find a new prime minister but have now agreed on a new prime minister as of yet. United States officials
TOK essay
IB TOK Essay Prescribed question: #8 "Are some ways of knowing more likely than others to lead to the truth?" Peter Frederiksen Svane St. Mary's International School IB Candidate number: 000134 - 039 March 6th, 2008 Word Count: 1599 A man, Peter, gets home from a strenuous day of work, and walks upstairs to the bedroom to see if his wife is fine. The door, however, is closed, and Peter hears strange noises. Could it really be the truth that she is unfaithful? Peter is confronted with a dilemma.1 Peter pauses, and his emotions take over: "No, she would never do such a thing," he cries to himself. On the other hand, he reasons out that his wife always receives secret calls and that people who receives secret calls are unfaithful, therefore she must be unfaithful. Confused, he decides to call a neighbor, and ask him to open the door. A few minutes later, the neighbor arrives and peeks through the door. Peter is taken over by Socrates,2 and demands the truth: "There is another man." In denial, Peter tears the door open but only sees his wife. The predicament summarizes the four tools one can apply in many situations to reveal the truth. Each one concludes with a potential truth, but proposes conflicting facts. Thus it illuminates problems that arise with ways of knowing and the reliability of truth. With an emotional approach, Peter follows his intuition which denies any
What is it about theories in the human sciences and natural sciences that make them convincing
TOK Essay 2/2011 Question: What is it about the theories in the human sciences and natural sciences that makes them convincing? Name: Valerie Ng Suying TOK group: P1b (Mr Eric Lau) Index Number: 20 It is widely assumed that natural and human sciences provide a reliable form of knowledge about the world, whether about natural phenomena or the behavior of individuals or a society. Statistics have shown that people have a high level of confidence in the scientific community. Scientists and their scientific theories are usually placed above leaders of other institutions such as business leaders, religious leaders, or elected officials (americanprogress.org). However, scientific theories are not completely certain and may not always provide an accurate view of the world. They are fallible and are subjected to change. So what is it in the theories of the human and natural sciences that makes them so convincing? Why do people have such high regard for them to the extent that some have begun to take them for granted as being true? This essay will attempt to discuss theories in the natural sciences followed by theories in the human sciences. To begin, it is important to define the key terms, namely 'scientific theories' and 'convincing'. Scientific theories are a set of logical explanatory statements with well-supported evidence that explain observations and can be used to
TOK essay
Prescribed Title: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of reason as a way of knowing. "Two extravagances: to exclude reason, to admit only reason"1 The above quote, attributed to Blaise Pascal, best describes the use of reason. On one hand, reason provides an unparalleled element of certainty and surety; on the other, it creates an emotionless approach. On one hand, reason establishes a logical justifiable chain of thought; on the other, it is often riddled with fallacies. On one hand, reason involves the compilation of existing knowledge; on the other, it's subjectivity leads to alternate contradictory viewpoints and confrontation. Ultimately, reason comes across as a double-edged sword: complete with its own strengths and weaknesses. Reason attempts to use the powers of the mind to create sequences of logical thought and thus arrive at claims that may be classified as knowledge. By either deducing, inducing or informally comparing2, we arrive at conclusions: and this has a direct impact on our lives at all stages: be it in a more micro-picture, such as our personal experiences, or a macro-picture, like that nation's economy. Ultimately, this comes across with a number of strengths and weaknesses. The primary strength of reason as a way of knowing - which draws conclusions from working on premises and assumptions - is the element of certainty that it adds to knowledge.
Doubt is the key to knowledge, explain with reference to two areas of knowledge.
Research question - “Doubt is the key to knowledge” (Persian Proverb). To what extent is this true in two areas of knowledge? According to Michael Woolman, Knowledge is a familiarity acquired by perception, sense, logic, emotion, faith or a report. Knowledge is not superficial. It is concrete as it is based on evidence and truth. But even this knowledge is not tangible. Its existence can be subjected to doubt. Doubt is defined as the uncertainty about anything. Doubt is the basis on which one proceeds to acquire knowledge. Thus the instinct of doubt may lead to knowledge, and can also be interpreted as wisdom. But can it be the key to knowledge? There are six areas of knowledge, namely, the natural sciences, the human sciences, mathematics, history, virtual arts and ethics. My essay will elucidate as to what extent the statement, Doubt is the key to knowledge, applies to the areas of knowledge namely religion and natural sciences as these domains touch our lives at every turn and corner. - We are living in a modern world – a world wrought by science. The modern technology has put everything under the anvil of evidence and truth. We have accounts for everything befalling around. Science has solution to everything but it too has not been able to penetrate the mysteries of religion, or establish
Tok Essay - Question 5 2010
Theory of Knowledge Essay Word Count: 1600 "What separates science from all other human activities is its belief in the provisional nature of all conclusions" (Michael Shermer, www.edge.com). Critically evaluate this way of distinguishing the sciences from other areas of knowledge? IB candidate number: 000834 - 027 Andrew Pelly The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) Instructor: Laurence Koppe May 2010 "...for it is the mark of an educated man to look for precision in each class of things just so far as the nature of the subject admits: it is evidently equally foolish to accept probable reasoning from a mathematician and to demand from a rhetorician scientific proofs." - Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics1 I. Shermer's idealistic claims about science Shermer's account of science as deeply "provisionalist" in its approach to its own knowledge claims is a misleading exaggeration - one that underplays the role of consensus and co-operation in scientific inquiry, and that fails to do justice to the intellectual-historical record of most of the natural sciences. However, it does contain a grain of truth, insofar as most scientists are ready to admit that none of their scientific beliefs are 100% certain. Conclusions in the natural sciences are arguably always provisional, as no theory within this area of knowledge is ever deductively proven. The strongest theories are
This essay will attempt to determine whether a point or argument made to an audience repeatedly, can therefore be believed to be truer.
Chanelle Jerger 7th December 2011 “What I tell you three times is true.” (Lewis Carroll) Might this formula – or a more sophisticated version of it – actually determine what we believe to be true? This essay will attempt to determine whether a point or argument made to an audience repeatedly, can therefore be believed to be truer. It will furthermore tackle the significance of an authoritative figure oozing credibility in order to determine what we believe to be true, and last but not least, the fashion in which such a speech or intention is being delivered. In order to start on this analysis we have to determine what we deem true for ourselves and if what we deem true for ourselves is in fact a universal or ubiquitous truth or if it is far more subjective than that. Lewis Carroll’s quote suggests that a truth can still be established even if it lacks evidence or factual justification; it can be created by appealing enough times to a person’s belief in something until that person’s belief on this matter is so fortified that it turns into its own reality, its own truth. In the advertising industry repetition, or conditioning, is a powerful marketing tool to deliver persuasive product messages to a company’s target audience. The most recent popular slogan of McDonald’s – I’m lovin’ it – has targeted millions of people around the
TOK speech - Knowledge Issue: To what extent is the use of a dead body ethical?
SCRIPT Key: Penney- Blue Ashley- Pink At the very beginning of the presentation Hand out a piece of paper of a beautified part of dead body and ask the students “How much does this artwork worth in a gallery?” Interactive, get them to guess Topic Question: Human cadavers/bodies? Explain what human cadavers are. So, what is human cadaver? Human cadaver is a body of a dead person which is donated to science at death; this is of course with the consent of the dead person prior to his death, or with the permission of the family members of the dead person. This great contribution of human remains to science is considered a best gift of mankind into the continuous development of medical science. Cadaver research contributes to the discovery of new advanced medicine for various serious diseases. The demand for research cadavers is remained strong in the society today. Real life situation: When one of my relative was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer at the age of 51, he was not given many options for treatment and the prognosis was not good. He decided that because he had been healthy throughout his life, until this diagnosis that he wanted to help others benefit from anything that could be learnt from donating his body to science. Because the cancer had been so aggressive and was taking his life so quickly, he was glad to have time to make this decision
What are the differences between "I am certain" and "it is certain", and is passionate conviction ever sufficient for justifying knowledge?
Candidate name: Tam Wai Kit, Jonathan Candidate code: 001225-020 School: Yew Chung International School International Baccalaureate Diploma - Theory of Knowledge (ToK) What are the differences between "I am certain" and "it is certain", and is passionate conviction ever sufficient for justifying knowledge? The difference between "I am certain" and "It is certain" deals with the difference between subjectivity and objectivity, in terms of expressing and justifying knowledge. "I am certain" involves personal interpretation in a particular event (subjective), whereas "It is certain" tries to avoid such a problem. To the observer, subjective observations are equally as real as objective observations, with the fact that objective observations are common to all subjects where subjective ones vary among different observers. Subjectivity often involves personal emotion, and therefore it is likely to be affected and misled by the subject thus it differs from the reality. In Economics, we have a similar concept: positive and normative statements. Positive economics are objective, and therefore can be tested by available evidence. Normative statements are subjective and express an opinion1. Normative statements are subjective. For example, an economist might say, "I am certain that the cyclical employment is due to the low efficiency of the government in terms of its fiscal