BECOMING DISCERNING KNOWERS

How do we become discerning knowers about politics? 

What distinguishes an ‘expert’ knower from an ‘ordinary’ knower?
To be an expert knower, there is need for us to apply a nuanced approach in order to properly
understand politics.
Can we be objective about politics?

Activity 1: Can politics ever be studied objectively?

Media sources- Two large groups discussions (35 min)

Outline of the Key terms Also links Unpacking this source

media source to

This highly Cynical, Reason, Yes, we have thought about Brexit a

partisan Reasoned emotion, lot, and the articles keep mounting up
Guardian article argument, knowledge & (especially in newspapers like the
looks at the Argot, the knower Guardian). The author of this one is
process whereby Nationalism Ian McEwan, the novelist, and he
people arrived at offers a virulent attack on ‘reason’,
their position on arguing that the decision to leave
Brexit. Europe was achieved via
manipulation and dishonesty. Is this
an example of reasoned argument? Is
it possible to apply reasoned
argument to such emotive issues?
Can politics ever be studied
objectively?
Activity 2: To what extent is evidence necessary in order to make a judgement?

Does evidence matter when it tells us something we’d already thought was true?”

Outline of the media Key terms Also Unpacking this source

source links to

This long FiveThirtyEight Value of Human This is a long article, but it

article sets out to explore the
relationship between money
and politics, specifically,
whether campaign donations
affect political decision-
making. But it also asks a
bigger question: “Does
evidence matter when it tells
us something we’d already
thought was true?”
evidence, sciences asks some very important
Evidence- questions about evidence
based decision- that you can debate after
making, reading it. To what extent is
Philosophical evidence necessary (rather
quandaries  than, say, our assumptions)
in order to make a
judgement? Does (and
should) possessing this
evidence lead to a resolution
of an issue? Finally, as the
article asks, does new
knowledge matter if it
confirms something you
already knew?

Key concepts and essential thinkers

Consider how for expert knowers, certainty is rarely - if ever - viable, and how justification is
the key characteristic of a making discerning knowledge claim.
 Check out these TED talks and listen directly to some of the most influential and
important thinkers of the epistemic community.