THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE

COURSE DESCRIPTION
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

The Theory of Knowledge (ToK) programme is

central to the educational philosophy of the IB
Diploma Course
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

It challenges students and their teachers to

reflect critically on the four Ways of Knowing
and Areas of Knowledge

It challenges students and their teachers to

consider the role which knowledge plays in a
global society
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

It encourages students to become aware of

themselves as thinkers

It encourages students to become aware of the

complexity of knowledge

It encourages students to recognize the need to

act responsibly in an increasingly
interconnected world
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

As a thoughtful and purposeful enquiry into

different Ways of Knowing and into different
Areas of Knowledge the ToK programme is
composed almost entirely of questions
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

The most central of these questions is:

HOW DO I KNOW THAT A GIVEN

ASSERTION IS TRUE OR THAT A GIVEN
JUDGEMENT IS WELL-GROUNDED?
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

Assertions or judgements of this sort are termed

KNOWLEDGE CLAIMS

The difficulties that arise in addressing these

questions are known as
PROBLEMS OF KNOWLEDGE
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

The programme entails the application of this

central question (How Do I Know That A Given
Assertion Is True Or That A Given Judgement
Is Well-Grounded?) to many different yet
INTERRELATED topics
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT

The questions have been grouped into four

broad categories:
 Knowers and Knowing
 Ways of Knowing
 Areas of Knowledge
 Linking Questions
AIMS

To engage students in reflection on

and in the questioning of the bases of
knowledge so that they:
 develop a critical capacity to
evaluate beliefs and knowledge
claims
 develop an understanding of why
critically examining knowledge
claims is important
 make interdisciplinary connections
AIMS

To engage students in reflection on

and in the questioning of the bases of
knowledge so that they:
 become aware of the interpretative
nature of knowledge including
personal and ideological biases
 consider that knowledge may place
responsibilities on the knower
AIMS

To engage students in reflection on

and in the questioning of the bases of
knowledge so that they:
 understand the strengths and
limitations of individual and cultural
perspectives
 develop a concern for rigour in
formulating knowledge claims and
intellectual honesty
OBJECTIVES

Students should be able to:

 demonstrate an understanding of
the strengths and limitations of the
various Ways of Knowing and of the
methods used in the different Areas
of Knowledge
 demonstrate a capacity to reason
critically
OBJECTIVES

Students should be able to:

 make connections between and
across Ways of Knowing and Areas
of Knowledge
 make connections between Personal
Experience and different Ways of
Knowing and Areas of Knowledge
 demonstrate an understanding of
knowledge at work in the world
OBJECTIVES

Students should also be able to:

 identify values underlying
judgements and knowledge claims
pertinent to local and global issues
 demonstrate an understanding that
personal views, judgements and
beliefs may influence their own
knowledge claims and those of
others
OBJECTIVES

Finally, students should be able to:

 use oral (Presentations) and written
language (Prescribed Essay) to
formulate and communicate ideas
clearly
THE ToK DIAGRAM
KNOWERS AND KNOWING

 Nature of Knowing
 Knowers and Sources of Knowledge
 Justification of Knowledge Claims
WAYS OF KNOWING

Perception:
 Nature of Perception
 Limitations of Perception

Language:
 Nature of Language
 Language and Knowledge
 Functions of Language
 Language and Culture
WAYS OF KNOWING

Reason:
 Nature of Reason
 Reason and Knowledge
 Strengths and Weaknesses of Reason

Emotion:
 Nature of Emotion
 Emotion and Knowledge
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

Mathematics:
 Definition of Mathematics
 Mathematics and Reality
 Mathematics and Knowledge Claims
 Mathematics and Values
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

Natural Sciences:
 Definition of the Natural Sciences
 Natural Sciences: Methods of Gaining Knowledge
 Natural Sciences and Knowledge Claims
 Natural Sciences and Values
 Natural Sciences and Technology
 Natural Sciences: Metaphor and Reality
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

Human Sciences:
 Definition of the Human Sciences
 Human Sciences: Methods of Gaining Knowledge
 Human Sciences and Knowledge Claims
 Human Sciences and Values
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

History:
 Definition of History
 History: Methods for Gaining Knowledge
 History and Knowledge Claims
 History and Values
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

The Arts:
 Definition of the Arts
 The Arts: Methods of Gaining Knowledge
 The Arts and Knowledge Claims
 The Arts and Values
 The Arts and Knowledge Perspectives
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

Ethics:
 Definition of Ethics
 Ethics: Methods of Gaining Knowledge and
Knowledge Claims
 Ethics and Values
 Ethics and Technology
 Ethics and Knowledge Perspectives
 Ethics and Politics
LINKING QUESTIONS

Language:
 Religion: Does religious experience lie
beyond language?
 Ethics: Should offensive language be
censored?
 Mathematics: How is mathematics like a
language?
 The Arts: Is art the language of emotions?
 Emotion: Does the way you describe
something affect how you feel about it?
 Human Sciences: Is language unique to
human beings?
LINKING QUESTIONS

Reason:
 Natural Sciences: Is there a logic of
scientific discovery?
 History: What kinds of bad reasoning can
typically be found in history?
 Perception: Should we trust reason rather
than perception?
 The Arts: What is the relation between
creativity and rationality?
LINKING QUESTIONS

Emotion:
 Language: Is language more to describe or
persuade?
 Religion: What role does emotion play in
religious beliefs?
 History: What role does empathy play in the
historian’s work?
 Mathematics: How important is intuition in
Maths?
 Natural Sciences: What does biology tell us
about the emotions?
LINKING QUESTIONS

Perception:
 The Arts: To what extent do the arts help us
to see the world with new eyes?
 Reason: Which is more reliable source of
knowledge, perception or reason?
 Language: How does the way we describe
something affect the way we see it?
 Mathematics: Does perception play any role
in mathematics?
 Human Sciences: Should we trust eye-
witness evidence?
LINKING QUESTIONS BASIC
CONCEPTS

 Belief
 Certainty
 Culture
 Evidence
 Explanation
LINKING QUESTIONS BASIC
CONCEPTS

 Interpretation
 Intuition
 Technology
 Truth
 Values
ToK PRESCRBIBED TITLES

 To what extent is truth different in

Mathematics, the Arts and Ethics?
 Examine the ways Empirical evidence
should be used to make progress in
different areas of knowledge
 How can the different ways of knowing
help us to distinguish between
something that is true and something
that is believed to be true?
 Discuss the claim that some areas of
knowledge are discovered and others