Stage 2: Identifying Unknowns & Conducting Research

Now that you have a clearer idea about what you will need to do in your ToK essay, you must take
time to work out what you don’t yet know or understand. Think critically about the question and
identify what you will need to think about and research more BEFORE you can begin to plan your
essay.

Basic Question Research Findings

Questions you need to think about, research, and Summarise the information you’ve found, the
answer BEFORE you begin planning the range of possible answers, and your own
structure and content of your ToK essay (and judgements and opinions.
definitely before you start writing it!).

What is interpretation? OX dictionary:

1. the particular way in which sth is
understood or explained

2. the particular way in which sb chooses to

perform a piece of music, a role in a play, etc.

Both explanations contain a characteristic: the

transmission of information to others

Through a physical way of communication,

mainly including visual information (image or
gesture language, written words, etc.), sound
information (speaking language, music, etc.)

Why? If interpretation is important. The brilliance of human civilization depends to

a great extent on the intergenerational
transmission of knowledge and the formation
of folk cultures (collective unconsciousness)
that transcend general physical forms over
time.

(Culture Iceberg Theory)

(Carl Gustav Jung)

People experience a lot of obvious

interpretation throughout their lives, such as
reading, taking classes in school, and going to
the movies. At the same time, it is also
influenced by many hidden interpretations,
such as cultural customs, which can affect
one's way of thinking.

https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_h
ow_language_shapes_the_way_we_think
For artworks, what are interpretations Possible answers:
specifically for?  Expressing author’s ideas
 Present famous reader’s (professional
reader) understanding
 Most reader’s ideas
 Objectively what skills the author use
instead of what author is thinking

(M. H. Abrams’ theory of criticism——The

Mirror and the Lamp)

Who can judge whether there is a good or bad Choice A: a specific person or group of people
interpretation? according to the area of the knowledge.

Choice B: anyone that owns a certain ability

(for example, think objectively and logically)

When people giving interpretations, is the When we value a methodology, normally if it

results more important or the can be applied for most people or most
process/methodology the person uses more salutations successfully, we say it is a good
important? methodology. That means the process and the
results normally success simultaneously. Thus,
the comparison of the importance of result
and the process would not make sense.

Reflection
Which basic questions do you think should be included & discussed in your essay?
Why?
Which basic questions do you think could be safely left out? Why?
Questions to Include & Discuss Questions to Leave Out