IA Prompt: Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?

Introduction:

Plato’s definition of knowledge as “justified true belief.” However, most of the

justification is done by human beings, and there is not a single human in the

universe who is free from bias, whether implicit or explicit. Thus, justification

inevitably contains bias, meaning knowledge is always produced with bias.

Object 1: World map

The first object I chose is the world map. Since I was young, one of my hobbies was

to observe the world map and memorize the capital cities. The "common maps that

people are familiar with are versions of the Mercator Projection Map" (Sun). Gauss's

Theorem Egregium proved that it is mathematically impossible to convert a sphere

into a 2D plane without distorting its shape, size, distance, or direction. For this

reason, to be more accurate, the "exact land size is compromised," the North and
South Poles stretch the landmass while the "countries near equator shrinks" (Sun).

An example is that Greenland is about the same size as the entire continent of Africa

on the map, but the reality is that Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland.

The object links to the idea of bias because the modern world map is systematically

biased from the actual truth. We are overestimating the size of the North pole but

underestimating the size of Africa. The object also illustrates that bias is inevitable in

two ways. First is the limited human ability to make the impossible possible. As

stated above, Gauss proved that it is mathematically impossible to convert 3D into

2D without making any changes. Therefore, the map is inevitably biased. Second is

the fact that cartographers are humans. As long as human draws a map, bias is

inevitable because no human being in the world is free of bias. Therefore, if a

cartographer thinks a particular country is more important, they can center it or draw

it bigger.

The object is included in the exhibition because it clearly shows why bias is

inevitable. The object shows that lack of human ability and that humans are

inherently biased make bias inevitable.

Object 2: Planck’s constant

The second object I chose is Planck’s constant which I found interesting when

studying chapter 12 of the IB physics textbook. Planck’s constant is constant

“devised in 1900 by a German physicist named Max Planck” (Kiger) and is defined

by the amount of energy that a photon or particle of light can carry “according to the

frequency of the wave in which it travels” (Kiger). In 1985, the value of h was

calculated to be 6.626176 x 10-34 Joule per second. However, the recent calculation

done in 2018 measured Planck’s constant to be 6.62607015 x 10-34 Joule per

second. The change in the value of Planck’s constant is significant because, after

Einstein’s discovery of relating energy to mass, the mass is defined in terms of

Planck’s constant. Therefore, continuously changing values arise inaccuracy in the

definition of a kilogram.

The object links to the idea of bias because, since the value of Planck’s constant has

gone down, the calculations done using a previous value are systematically

overestimated, such as the definition of a kilogram. The object also illustrates that

bias is inevitable because, according to Schlamminger, a physicist at NIST, there is

an exact value of h that exists, but due to the limited technology, humans have not

been able to calculate it but are working hard to get closer to the exact number.

The object demonstrates that even a scientific constant which should be completely

accurate may be biased due to insufficient technology, and thus bias is inevitable.

This causes the new calculations such as the definition of kilogram to be biased

against a standard.
Object 3: Atomic model

The third object I chose is the evolution of the atomic model, which I found

interesting when studying atomic physics. To most people who has not majored in

natural science and studied science as part of the compulsory curriculum, Bohr

model will be the most familiar atomic model and what people usually think of as

structure of the atom. In Bohr model, “electrons orbit in defined circular orbits around

the nucleus” (Milliman). However, the current atomic model is entirely different from

the Bohr model and has been proved to be incorrect. The current atomic model has

no orbits, and there only exists a probability of finding electrons.

The object links to the idea of bias because many people who learned science only

as a compulsory curriculum are biased on the actual look of an atom. Many people

are biased that Bohr model is how atom actually looks because it is what is agreed

to be taught. This problem also illustrates the inevitability of bias because although

the Bohr model is incorrect, the Bohr model can introduce essential concepts such

as discrete energy levels. It is sufficient for students who have no interest in science.

Furthermore, the current atomic model is too complicated to teach students at an

early level. Therefore, although the Bohr model is biased, it is necessary.

The object shows that bias is inevitable for simplification. It also shows that bias is

sometimes helpful as the systemically biased Bohr model itself has advantages.

Conclusion:

All 3 objects directly relate to IA prompt and illustrates why bias is inevitable. The first

object shows that shows that lack of human ability and the fact that human are

inherently biased makes bias inevitable. The second object shows that bias may be

result of insufficient technology. The third object shows that bias is inevitable to make

theory simplified and understandable. All three factors are impossible to avoid. Thus,

relating to the prompt, leaving an answer that bias is inevitable in production of

knowledge.

Word count: 938

 Works cited:

“Atomic Model Timeline.” Timetoast Timelines, 3 Dec. 1808,

www.timetoast.com/timelines/atomic-model-timeline--116.

Kiger, Patrick J. “What Is Planck's Constant, and Why Does the Universe Depend on

It?” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 31 Mar. 2021,

science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/physics-terms/plancks-constant.htm.

Milliman, Hayley. Understanding the Bohr Atomic Model, blog.prepscholar.com/bohr-

model.

“Planck Constant.” TimeOne, www.timeone.ca/glossary/planck-constant/.

Thelwell, Kim. “The Effect of Map Bias on How We View Developing Countries.” The

Borgen Project, Kim Thelwell Https://Borgenproject.org/Wp-

Content/Uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.Jpg, 6 Nov. 2020,

borgenproject.org/map-bias/.

“World Map - Political.” Geology, geology.com/world/world-map.shtml.