ToK Exhibition May 2024

Candidate code
Prompt no. and Prompt – How important are material tools in the production or acquisition
of knowledge? (Number 23)
Object 01– Screenshot of a digital copy of the book ‘Natural History’ by Pliny the Elder,
written around 77 A.D.

The object is a screenshot of the digital copy of the book "Natural History, Book 2,"
written by Pliny the Elder and published in 77 AD. It is the earliest recount of someone
using the visibility of land from a boat to prove Earth's sphericity.

I chose this object for this prompt because it refers to the correct use of material tools
and their impact on knowledge production. Although boats were invented and were
being used long before Pliny, he was the only one to use the boat as a tool to prove the
general sphericity of the Earth. He says "land is not visible from the deck of a ship when
in sight from the masthead;" indicating that one would be able to see the entire world if
the Earth was flat as light travels in a straight line, and it never dies out.

This object is linked with the prompt as it raises the argument that methodology and
interpretation of the data we get from our tools are more important than the data
collection itself. The object is a product of the correct application of material tools.
Without the correct methodology and interpretation of material tools and the data they
give us, material tools would be useless. People had been using boats long before Pliny,
but no one was able to organise the observations and interpret the data in a way that
would prove a spherical Earth. Pliny related the observations of land from a boat in a
unique manner, therefore showing us the importance of the correct application of
material tools and the interpretation of the data we get from said material tools.

Object 02– Screenshot of a graph that maps Tycho Brahe’s observations about Mars.

The object is a screenshot of a graph that maps Tycho Brahe’s 16th-century observations
about the declination of Mars onto a graph alongside the definite values found later on by
modern technology and methods. The data found by Tycho Brahe was taken from one of
his many books, "Tychonis Brahe's Dani Opera Omnia."

I have selected this object for this prompt as it refers to the impact of technology and
material tools on the justification of knowledge. Tycho Brahe wanted to uncover the laws
governing the movement of planets. He observed the movements of many planets over a
span of twenty years. For Mars especially, he observed the declination, expressed in
degrees, over a function of time (from around 1582 to 1600). Tycho Brahe then proposed
a pattern, so to speak, that was accurate to a certain degree. Later on, with the help of
technology and advanced tools, we could verify the legitimacy of Brahe’s patterns and
observations. This is exactly what Johannes Kepler did: he verified the readings with
superior tools and then built on the knowledge to validate the Copernican model.

This object is linked with the prompt as it raises the argument that the use of technology
and material tools allows us to justify the knowledge we already have, helping us reach
certainty. Tycho used the astronomical instruments of his time, which lacked the
accuracy of modern-day tools. He had access to astrolabes and quadrants, but these
instruments only allowed him to measure angular distances and altitudes, not actual
distances between celestial bodies. The inaccuracy of Tycho's tools likely caused some of
his observations to be inaccurate. With the help of modern-day tools, we can verify his
findings and go even beyond that, building on knowledge as Johannes Kepler did with
Tycho Brahe’s measurements.
Object 03– Picture of one of the first telescopes made by Galileo Galilei.

This object is a picture of one of the first telescopes (Galilean Telescope) made by Galileo
Galilei in 1609. Galileo Galileo was only able to make said tool by building on the
knowledge of the Danish Perspective Glass.

I have selected this object for this prompt as it refers to the impact of preservation of
knowledge. Galileo Galileo in June 1609 heard about a spyglass which made distant
objects appear nearer and larger. He then discussed with many other scholars and
reports from other experiments which had similar results; he then experimented with
convex lenses using the complied information he found out. Days later, he came up with
the Galilean Telescope. The initial telescope had a 3x magnification and over the years he
improved this to finally reach a magnification of 26x. He then document his entire
process of the production of his telescope which was then referred to later on when
improving telescopes.

This object is linked with the prompt as it raises the argument that material tools and
technology allow us to preserve knowledge for future generations which influences the
production of new knowledge. Knowledge preservation involves capturing, storing, and
sharing information and experiences for the benefit of future generations. Preservation
of knowledge is crucial for fueling future knowledge because it provides a foundation on
which new insights, discoveries, and advancements can be built. Preserved knowledge
serves as a foundation for new discoveries and advancements. Scientists and researchers
can use existing knowledge to build upon previous findings and make new connections
that lead to breakthroughs. If Galileo Galilei did not previous research on magnification
he would not be able to invent the telescope, he used the concept from the “Danish
Perspective Glass” and built on it. This shows the extent as to preservation of knowledge
influences production of new knowledge.
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