TOK Essay Planning Sheet
Use this or adapt it to suit your needs
Please read the Marking Criteria first.
Name: Julia
Title: "Present knowledge is wholly dependent on past knowledge." Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.
Section What to Plan
Intro Are there any underlying
assumptions or knowledge issues
that emerge from the title?
Are there any terms you need to
define in relation to Knowledge
(no dictionary definitions)?
What is your thesis and/or how
will you structure the essay?
Para 1 What argument supports your
thesis?
Which WOK*/AOK are used?
What are the possible
counterclaims /different
perspectives?
How does your argument stand
up to these?
Planning Notes Examples you might use
From your IB package /EE/ CAS /
readings
 Different areas of knowledge can be developed Not here
by past knowledge to form present knowledge
(due to essay question)
 Wholly dependent: entirely based, without past
knowledge there would be no present
knowledge,
 what is present knowledge, what is past?
o Present: one that is used at the moment,
most supporting evidence,
o Past: knowledge that used to be
believed in yet was overtaken by new
methods that formed present
knowledge. Known of but not used.
 What is knowledge?
o Ability to understand
 Thesis: although past knowledge and present
knowledge are often related to each other in
different ways and to different degrees, they
share the characteristic of influencing how the
world is understood at the time that an
individual ever essentially lives in – the present.
 Natural sciences  In paragraph 1, discuss the
 Past perspective was once a present perspective, phospholipid bilayer that
forms the plasma membrane:
1. Claim: The production of present knowledge o 1899: E. Overton
cannot be accurate without considering past recognized that cells
knowledge (without the 1899 idea for lipid were surrounded by
material that surrounds the cell, the fluid mosaic lipid material. This
model may not have been thought of): indicates that not all
a. Evidence: the fluid mosaic model has new knowledge is
 evolved from earlier versions (four formed by prior
different ones). Additionally, Nicholson knowledge, but can
and Singer looked at the laws of be added on to.
thermodynamics, borrowing knowledge o 1925: Evert Gorter
from another subject in the AOK, and Francois
b. Explanation: The previous theories on Grendel suggested
the plasma membrane, although they that it was made
developed, weren’t accurate. Therefore, from phospholipid
past knowledge is necessary for present bilayer but didn’t
knowledge, as the modern society can include protein.
see the historical development of  Had prior
scientific theories and understand the knowledge
process from the most basic that the
descriptions. membrane
2. Counterclaim: When there’s scarce knowledge was
on specific field, knowledge production requires composed of
explorations rather than experiences. lipids and
a. Evidence: when Tim Hunt was studying proteins
the cell cycle of sea urchins in 1982, he (1918
discovered a protein that cycled in experiment
concentration as cells were dividing.  Used
Hunt named these proteins “cyclins relationship
b. Explanation: serendipitous discoveries proposed by
in the natural science don’t originate Knoll that
from past knowledge.” Often, scientists for red
don’t intend to study something, but blood cells
discover it accidentally, showing that surface area
present knowledge is not wholly = 2 d2
dependent on past knowledge in all o 1935: Davison-
cases. Danielli model added
3. Implications: Although some discoveries in the proteins, taking into
natural sciences were simply developed versions consideration the
of past knowledge, many of them were also thermodynamic
serendipitous discoveries that occurred due to laws, supporting the
human observation and experience. fact that previous
knowledge is
required for
formation of new
knowledge.
 In counterclaim for
paragraph 1, discuss the
discovery of cyclins, which
are proteins that regulate
when functions should occur
in a cell.
o Discovered by Tim
Hunt while studying
embryo
development in sea
urchins. Some
proteins “cycled” in
concentration as the
cells were dividing
o These proteins were
called “cyclins”
o The role of
serendipity in
science is often
found in major
scientific
discoveries, proving
that not past
knowledge, but

Para 3 and 4 Repeat for another argument
linked to the one above
rather human
curiosity enables to
form present
knowledge.
 In claim discuss that:
 Human sciences (psychology) Psychologists base their
1. Claim: past knowledge can shape present present knowledge on the
knowledge by providing a framework for society past knowledge of the idea of
to understand particular incidents. nature versus nurture, that
a. Evidence: although psychology has focuses on the influence of
undergone change in terms of the genes or the environment on
methodology, the most important the behaviour of individuals.
questions asked by psychologists have
remained constant.
b. Explanation: there are six foundational
theories in psychology, that are always
surrounding the formation of new
theories in psychology. These are:
biological, behavioural, cognitive,
humanistic, psychodynamic,
sociocultural, evolutionary and
biopsychosocial
2. Counterclaim: present knowledge formation
incorporates the use of past knowledge, yet it is
not of major significance.
a. Evidence: although behaviourism was
considered past knowledge, the
development of another AOK lent itself
to the progress of the theory,
b. Explanation: although at the beginning,
there were only two extreme nativist
and nurturist views, modern
psychologists are interested in
investigating the interaction between
nature and nurture. John Watson was
one of the people that started the
behaviourism movement, that showed
experiments regarding importance of
rewards and punishments in shaping
behaviour. In the 1970s, a shift occurred
as genetics and neurology was
advancing. Stella Chess and Alexander
Thomas conducted a study, where a
group of children was observed, which
 showed that nature and nurture can be
compared instead of contrasted.
(methodology: observation of subject to
form conclusions) Throughout
technological development, past
knowledge on human behaviour has
evolved, therefore old knowledge plays
a significant role in forming new
knowledge, as through technology and
the connection of past and presence,
social scientists are able to develop
better theories, like in the natural
sciences.
3. Implications: In terms of the dependence of
present knowledge on past knowledge, it is
possible to deduce that in human sciences,
although past knowledge plays roles in the
formation of new knowledge, it doesn’t always
play a major role in this process due to
technological development that has prompted a
change in methodology of this AOK.

Conclusion Answer the question clearly Not here.

To what extent can you be certain
of your argument?
State how your conclusion might
differ if you develop different
perspectives / new knowledge is
gained, etc.

* Note only include WOK if the knowledge questions that emerge actually need discussion of them. If you drop them in randomly
they will not help!