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Introduction To Theory of Knowledge

The document provides an overview of the aims and concepts covered in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course. The main goals of TOK are to critically examine different ways of knowing, such as sense perception, reason, emotion, and language, and to explore the distinction between knowledge and belief. It discusses key TOK concepts like epistemology, the role of language and the senses in acquiring knowledge, and whether emotions can provide a rational basis for knowledge. The document also lists requirements for the TOK essay and presentation and identifies different areas of knowledge studied in the International Baccalaureate program.

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Julius Dennis
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123 views54 pages

Introduction To Theory of Knowledge

The document provides an overview of the aims and concepts covered in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course. The main goals of TOK are to critically examine different ways of knowing, such as sense perception, reason, emotion, and language, and to explore the distinction between knowledge and belief. It discusses key TOK concepts like epistemology, the role of language and the senses in acquiring knowledge, and whether emotions can provide a rational basis for knowledge. The document also lists requirements for the TOK essay and presentation and identifies different areas of knowledge studied in the International Baccalaureate program.

Uploaded by

Julius Dennis
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Theory of Knowledge

(TOK)

By:
Mr.D
Aims of the ToK Course
O Explore the difference between
knowledge and belief.
O Look critically at your
beliefs/convictions.
O Question the validity of
everything (think out of the box)
O Develop a sceptical approach
when deciding what is true and
what is not.
O Should you always trust
“experts”?
HOW DO WE KNOW?
1. How do you know that you are alive, that life is not
just a dream?
2. Is there really such a thing as ONE TRUE Religion?
3. Does Time really exist?
4. What is the truth behind the saying that – History
depends on who the victor is?
5. Is beauty really subjective (aesthetics vs. beauty)?
6. In the absence of language, will thought (thinking
be possible)?
Ways of Knowing
1. Language
2. Reason
3. Sense Perception
4. Emotion
5. Imagination (Emotion & Language)
6. Faith (Emotion & Language)
7. Intuition (Reason & Sense Perception)
8. Memory (Reason & Sense Perception)
LANGUAGE
“Words are more powerful and treacherous than
we think”. Jean-Paul Sartre

In the absence of language, will thought


(thinking be possible)?

Does language direct, extend or limit thought?


Sense Perception

 How do our
senses affect
our acquisition
of knowledge?
 Do our senses
ever lie to us?
We perceive the world through our 5 senses.

Our 5 senses are:

• Sight
• Hearing
• Touch
• Smell
• Taste
Sense Perception is an important
dimension of our understanding of the
World
The channel of communication between
ourselves and the outside world
Its function and scope should be
examined and critically evaluated
There are differing views on the role of our
five senses towards the acquisition of
Knowledge

O Common-Sense Realism: Perception is a


passive and relatively straightforward
process which gives us an accurate picture
of reality

Straightforward – a priori evidences, self


evident
2 Categories of Obtaining
Knowledge
O Definition of a priori : a. deductive. b :
relating to or derived by reasoning from
self-evident propositions

O Definition of a posteriori. adjective logic.


relating to or involving inductive reasoning
from particular facts or effects to a general
principle. derived from or requiring
evidence for its validation or support;
empirical; open to revision.
Epistemology
O Epistemology studies the nature of
knowledge, justification, and the rationality
of belief.
O Epistemology is the theory of knowledge,
especially with regard to its methods,
validity, and scope.
O Epistemology is the investigation of what
distinguishes justified belief from opinion.
Common Sense Realism

The way we perceive the world


mirrors the way the world is
Sense perception is the
active, selective and
interpretive process of
recording or becoming
conscious of the external
world
O Perception can be thought of consisting of
two distinct parts

• Sensation: The part provided by the world


around us

• Interpretation: The part provided by our


minds
Our experience of the world is
affected not only by what is
‘out
there’ but also by our sense
organs
AND our minds
Questions to Discuss
1. To what extent do our senses give us
knowledge of the world as it really is?
2. What role does what we expect to see, or
are used to seeing, play in what we
observe?
3. What is meant by the saying ‘knowledge
is the true organ of sight, not the eyes’?
4. Do you think perception is a more
important source of knowledge in some
subjects rather than others?
Emotion
Can feelings have a rational basis?

Is emotion an essential ingredient of scientific or


artistic knowledge?
Emotions
O A way of knowing
O A physiological experience that all individuals have
O Can be expressed trough a certain behavior
O Affect our moods, our reasoning, and our behavior
O Everyone has a unique way of expressing their
emotions
O Love is something that brings out the best in people
O Love for self is what we have in all of us
O Love for family, friends, lovers, and animals
• Emotions can be trained and
controlled.
What about love?

YES!
You choose who you want to love! So, it helps in
decision making.

•SELF INJURY!  one of the reasons of this is


“to feel emotions more intensely” and it is a
way of handling emotional problems.
What EMOTIONS are most helpful?

• EMPATHY: the ability not only to detect what others feel


but also to experience that emotion yourself.
• JOY: a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
• HOPE: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain
thing to happen, grounds for believing that something
good may happen.
• SERENITY: the state of being calm, peaceful, and
untroubled.
• GRATITUDE: the quality of being thankful; readiness to
show appreciation for and to return kindness.
• AMUSEMENT: the state or experience of finding
something funny.
What EMOTIONS are most destructive?

• FRUSTRATION: the feeling of being upset or annoyed,


especially because of inability to change or achieve
something
• RAGE: violent, uncontrollable anger
• JEALOUSY: a reaction to the threat of losing something
(usually someone)
• BITTERNESS: A feeling of deep anger and resentment, an
emotion which encompasses both anger and hate.
• INSECURITY: uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; lack of
confidence.
• ENTITLEMENT: the belief that one is inherently deserving of
privileges or special treatment.
When do EMOTIONS deceive (us)?

• When it prevents (us) from being objective.


• When it makes us too sensitive.
• When it becomes as an OBSTACLE to human relations.
• When it is not MUTUAL.
Can we know everything with just the
use of EMOTION?

NO!!!
• It can provoke the absence of criticism.
• It can make us too harsh towards a person we don’tlike.
• we cannot know the truth.
• On the other hand, emotions can help us in a situation
where we feel that somebody likes or doesn’t like us,
therefore we know what that person feels for us.
EMOTIONS LIMIT OTHER SOURCESOF
KNOWLEDGE!
• For example, I might be so focused on hating
something that I seeonly the negatives but not
positives.
• It is biased! Changes from person toperson. Cannot be used as
facts.
• We cannot think clearly.
• Not all emotions can be explained withthe use of language. It has
wider content.
• Studies show that without emotions, your life would fall apart.
For example, you can narrow down your choices with the use of
emotions!
Reason
Does knowledge always require
some kind of rational basis?

How do beliefs affect the capacity


to reason logically and the
capacity to recognise valid
arguments?
You will analyse the validity of logical arguments and learn
about common fallacies.

All Italians eat spaghetti.


Francesco Totti eats spaghetti.
Therefore, Francesco Totti is Italian.

When it rains, the ground is wet.


The ground is wet, therefore – it rained
Areas of Knowledge
Science- group 4
History- group 3
Human Sciences- group 3
Ethics- group 3
Mathematics- group 5
The Arts- groups 6, 1 and 2
IB TOK Requirements
O TOK Essay - (1200-1600)
O TOK Presentation – Duration 10 minute /
individual
- If per group: 3 members
each group. Duration: 30 minutes
Sources
O Theory of Knowledge – Anthony Stewart
O Theory Of Knowledge – Donbrowski,
Rottenberg, Bick
O TOK-In-A-Box Module

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