Theory of Knowledge I

Course Description:

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course is central to the educational philosophy of the International Baccalaureate Program. The course challenges students to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and areas of knowledge, and to consider the role which knowledge plays in a global society. It encourages students to become aware of themselves as thinkers, to become conscious of the complexity of knowledge, and to recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected world.

As a thoughtful and purposeful enquiry into different ways of knowing, and into different kinds of knowledge, the TOK curriculum is composed almost entirely of questions. The most central of these questions is: How do I, or how do we, know that a given assertion is true, or a given statement is well grounded? Assertions or judgments of this sort are termed “knowledge claims,” while the difficulties that arise in addressing these questions are the broad areas known as “problems of knowledge.” The course entails the application of this central question to many different, yet interrelated topics.

Questions are the very essence of TOK, both ageless questions on which thinkers have been reflecting for centuries and new ones, often challenging the accepted belief, which are posed by contemporary life. Students will be engaged in a critical examination of knowledge, which will ultimately result in an appreciation of the quest for knowledge, its importance, its complexities, and its human application.

Aims:

The aims of the TOK course are to:

  • make connections between a critical approach to the construction of of knowledge, the academic disciplines and the wider world
  • develop an awareness of how individuals and communities construct knowledge and how this is critically examined
  • develop an interest in the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives and an awareness of personal and ideological assumptions
  • critically reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions, leading to more thoughtful, responsible, and purposeful lives
  • understand that knowledge brings responsibility which leads to commitment and action.

TOK doesn’t have a clear curriculum like other subjects. The reason for that is simple: there is no checklist of things you have to know for the end of course exam, because thereisno end of course exam. Instead, you’ll write a wide-ranging essay, and design a presentation, that both draw on ideas that you’ve built up during the two years of the course.

Assessment:

Grades will be based on class participation (attendance and discussion), essays, and oral presentations. A traditional grading scale is used; grades will not be rounded up.

Policies:

During class discussions, respectful dialogue is required. Students will be tolerant of others’ views. Remember, “We argue not to win but to learn.” Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. As part of the TOK grade is class participation, daily attendance is essential. No makeup assignments will be given for class participation points for unexcused absences. Assessments not turned in or missed due to an unexcused absence will not be accepted or available for makeup.

The Honor Code:

Honesty and integrity are two of the most important qualities an individual can possess. Any dishonest behavior, including but not limited to such acts as copying another student’s work, giving someone your work to be copied, attempting to complete homework during class, forging a signature, or not telling the truth when asked a question are signs of a lack of integrity and will not be tolerated. The honor code will strictly be enforced and consequences for violations of the honor code will be applied.

TOK Course Overview

Part I: Thinking about the nature of knowledge:

That’s not to say that you’re expected to sit in a darkened room and think your own thoughts for two years. There is a great deal of content to TOK, just not an obligatory list of topics you have to learn.
The starting point is to think about what we mean by the term ‘knowledge’. It’s worth pointing out that studying ‘theory of knowledge’ is not a new idea: almost all philosophy courses at universities devote some time to it, although they use the slightly less manageable term ‘epistemology’. And almost all philosophers of worth (and a great many thinkers in other fields) have devoted some of their time to thinking about it.

Part II: How we gain knowledge: ways of knowing (WOKs):

Then we’ll move on to think about the ways we gather knowledge, and process it. In TOK, we divide these ways into eight: sense perception (sight, hearing, etc.), emotion, language, reason, imagination, faith, intuition, and memory. We will examine each one individually, and try to work out how they are all interlinked. In some ways, they are linked in a positive way, working complimentarily; in others, their relationship is more negative, and one way of knowing may hinder another.

Part III: What the knowledge is: areas of knowledge (AOKs)

Then we’ll go on to the knowledge itself. We also divide this into eight areas: mathematics, natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics), human sciences (sociology, anthropology, and most other things with an ‘ology’ in them), history, ethics, the arts, religious knowledge systems, and indigenous knowledge systems. Like the WOKs, we’ll look at them on their own, and then figure out how they overlap with each other.

My Teacher Wiki Site:

On this site, you will find the course syllabus and a student-parent information form. All information entered on this form is secure and will only be used by me to keep you informed of your student’s progress in the class. I send a bi-weekly email to all parents who provide an email address.

Remind:A great service to keep me in touch with students after school hours (since I know their phones are never too far away!). To join, students will text the message @d2565to 81010

East Mecklenburg HS Webpage:

Contact Information: Email: (preferred)Phone: 980-343-6430Room: 609