WAYS OF KNOWING AND

AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

The structures of our knowledge

Classifications To make sense

of the world we use classifications to group similar ideas and objects.

Be aware that all objects and ideas within a classification are not identical.

These are all cattle somehow.

Classifying Knowledge We also

classify our knowledge into different categories.

Ethics

Human Science

Arts

The Areas of Knowledge There may be many

areas of knowledge, but in T.O.K. we cover six that are the basis of your education.

In class, we can abbreviate Areas of Knowledge as AOK.

Math Natural

Sciences Human

Sciences History Ethics Arts

Mathematics Mathematics or “math”

(think about that for a second, the British say “maths”) is the AOK that is the “study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols.” (Webster’s II)

Math includesArithmeticAlgebraGeometryCalculusTrigonometryLinear AlgebraStatisticsPlus a whole

bunch of stuff you never heard of!

Natural Sciences Natural sciences is

the AOK that uses observation, identification, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of natural phenomena. (Webster’s II again)

Natural Science includes:BiologyPhysicsChemistryAstronomyGeologyAnd others, but a

physicist would argue that everything is physics!

Human Sciences Uses observation,

identification, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation to understand human behavior.

Includes:PsychologyEconomicsPolitical ScienceSociologyAnthropologyGeographyLinguistics

History History records and

analyzes past events. (Again with the Webster’s II)

It is divided into categories based on eras, nations, cultural groups, etc.

Types of history:American HistoryWorld HistoryChinese HistoryWomen’s HistoryAfrican-American

HistoryAncient HistoryMuslim History

Ethics Ethics is a branch of

philosophy that examines moral beliefs and the foundations of what we believe is right and wrong behavior. (I made this definition up..take that Webster)

Ethics is divided into:National ethicsReligious ethicsWorkplace ethicsGenerational ethics

IT IS NOT ethNics!!!

Arts The arts is the area of

knowledge that is the conscious arrangement or production of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a way that affects the aesthetic sense. Also the study of those activities. (yeah, that was Webster’s again)

Arts includes: Literature Painting Sculpture Dance Music Film Theater Photography And others I am sure

This is an interesting question.

Issues Placing a

knowledge claim into one of these areas can be problematic. There are times when the subjects overlap and it is not clear exactly which area you are working in.

Force= Mass X Acceleration Would you

consider this knowledge claim to be a mathematical statement or a physics statement?

Why?

Picasso’s Guernica This depicts Picasso’s view on the bombing of a

village in Spain in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. Is it History or Art? Why?

Placing ATMs in Casinos Placing an Automated

Teller Machine in a casino allows players access to quick cash to gamble. This is convenient for the gambler but critics argue that this is also dangerous.

Is this Psychology? Economics? Biology? Political Science? Ethics?

This may be something to bring up in an ITGS class.

Ways of Knowing Within the TOK

framework, we claim that the Areas of Knowledge can be studied using four “ways” of knowing.

All of our knowledge comes through these methods.

Ways of Knowing: Perception Sense perception is

the first way that we gain knowledge.

Sense perception includes the use of the senses to gather information.

This means the five common senses but may include others.

Ways of Knowing : Perception When we say perception we do NOT mean a

point of view.

Example--- With my perception I noticed that the teacher wore a yellow dress. (OK)

Bad Example--- It is my perception that the teacher does not know what she is doing. (Not ok)

Ways of Knowing: Language At an early age, we

develop the ability to use language to communicate and take in information.

Languages are systems of symbols and rules that are used to communicate.

There are many different types of languages out there….and not just national languages like Spanish and French.

Ways of Knowing: Reason Reason, also

referred to as logic, is to use known information to develop new ideas and gain new information.

It does NOT mean to “give reasons”

Example: Do mice produce milk?

Ways of Knowing : Reason When using reason,

we often create arguments.

Arguments are a series of statements where a conclusion (thesis) is reached.

The conclusion must be supported by the other statements in order to be believed.

Ways of Knowing: Reason This is an example of a logical argument. Premise– Very tall people are excellent

teachers. Premise– Ms. Koszyk is tall. CONCLUSION- Ms. Koszyk is an

excellent teacher. If the premises are true then the

conclusion must be as well. Why is this false?

Ways of Knowing: Emotion The final WOK we

discuss is knowledge gained through emotions.

Some say we should not trust our emotional knowledge, but some of the biggest decisions we make (marriage, occupation) have an emotional component.

Combinations There are important

connections to be made among the various WOK.

Ex: How does your emotional state influence the language you choose to use?

Links among WOK It is summertime…..you see what

appears to be Ms. Chapman riding a motorcycle and eating a chicken leg. Do you trust your eyes? Why or why not?

Links: AOK and WOK It is

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Links: AOK and WOK oooo important that you understand how the ways

of knowing are used within the areas of knowledge. Example: A historian (AOK) has a ship’s log with

the names of passengers travelling to the US. 90% of the passengers have Italian last names (language WOK) and one way tickets. The historian also knows that there were massive crop failures for two consecutive years in Italy. The historian uses reason (WOK) to conclude that people were emigrating to the US due to economic reasons.

Links: AOK AND WOK Assignment

Choose one AOK and two WOK. Describe a real example of how the WOKs were used to further knowledge in the AOK.

By real example I mean something that exists. Do not use a hypothetical example that you made up.

Real example:Kagan feels that

Bismarck would have prevented WWI.

Hypothetical example:A US historian may

feel that Germany could have avoided WWI.