TOK Exhibition: Context and Perspectives

The question I am raising for TOK Exhibition is: “Are some types of knowledge more useful than
other?”. This exhibition investigates the topic by analyzing the usage of certain items and the necessity of
knowing how to use them from different perspectives and in various contexts. In this exhibition I am
examining the importance of specific knowledge in different fields to understand if there are types of
knowledge that are the most important for every aspect of human’s life that any other knowledge types.

Object 1. “Stop” road sign.

The comprehension of the meaning of this stop sign is a fundamental aspect of road safety for both drivers
and pedestrians for several reasons. Firstly, the knowledge of the sign is essential as by understanding the
expected behavior when this sign is put on the road both pedestrians and drivers can prevent an accident that
may be fatal. Secondly, knowing the meaning of the sign is important to get the driver’s license, familiarity
with the sign is required to pass the exams and tests successfully.

However, it is important to note that knowledge about “Stop” sign is not inherently much more
advantageous than other types of knowledge. Its importance depends on the situation in which it may be
used and environmental circumstances. The context of using various types of knowledge might be crucial
for evaluating the necessity of them. For instance, within the context of personal-development, knowledge
of time management, emotional intelligence and interpersonal communication is more significant than
knowledge of the road sign.

This sign is particularly interesting for exhibition as it is often perceived that the knowledge about this sign
is one of the most important types of knowledge, as the absence of understanding the meaning of the sign
may even result into death. However, it is important to note, that the context of using this knowledge plays a
huge role in measuring its necessity. It is not essential to know the meaning of this sign to succeed in one’s
personal or professional life or self-development.
Object 2. Pi number.

Pi number is a fundamental mathematical constant that represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle
to it diameter. This number, commonly denoted by the Greek letter π, has fascinated mathematicians and
scientists for centuries due to its properties and importance across various fields of knowledge. The
comprehension of this number is essential for humanity to develop such mathematics particularly
trigonometry and geometry, technology and even history and culture as it appears in Bible, the Quran and
other religious texts ("And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all
about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about." 1 Ki 7:23). Pi
plays an important role for humanity development; the world would never be the same as we know it now if
pi number was not discovered.

However, it is not crucial for a certain individual to not obtain much knowledge of pi number. Most people
can function in their daily life without ever using pi, when it is not relevant for their occupation and does not
fit personal interests. Even though the knowledge of pi is valuable for development of huge amount of
knowledge fields it is not important in everyday life of every single person. Knowledge related to
individual’s profession is much more important for this person, knowledge about selfcare and self-
development.

Pi number is a fitting subject for this exhibition as it represents the idea that even the most fundamental
concepts of science are not more important than other forms of knowledge looking from everyday usage
perspective. However, this does not diminish the importance of pi in scientific area.
Object 3. The last day of Pompeii

A historical painting “The last day of Pompeii” by Russian artist Karl Bryullov depicts the event of eruption
of Mount Vesuvius in 76 AD, which led to the destruction of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. While art
works are commonly associated with nothing more than creative expression and entertainment tool,
however, exploring this painting in particular we can see, that art carries historical and cultural significance.
The painting portrays a pivotal event in history, understanding of this event and its impact on ancient
civilizations helps to appreciate the complexities of human existence, by bearing it itself a huge emotional
load demonstrating approaching death, which evokes the viewer to think about the value of one’s life.
Capturing the power of nature this picture may help people assimilate the experience of ancient Greeks and
make arrangements for preserving human settlements from eruption. Furthermore, “The last day of
Pompeii” is a substantial part of cultural heritage. Pompeii is an archaeological site of great importance,
providing precious insights into ancient times. The painting illustrates the essence of the lost city, its
architecture, clothes of its people, serving as a visual representation of ancient Romanian life.

Nevertheless, the understanding of this painting barely carries any practical knowledge which would be
helpful to improve people’s daily life as does not directly contribute to technological, scientific or medical
advancements. The importance of this painting depends a lot on the field it is applied. Different disciplines
and careers have their own area of focus and required knowledge. Also, not everyone may be particularly
interested in this artwork and may prioritize some other sources of historical and cultural knowledge.

“The last day of Pompeii” object evokes certain interest in terms of the topic of this TOK exhibition as in
contrast with other object it is not essential for surviving and development, but it is an important to
understand this panting exploring the topic from the perspective of personal growth, cultural and historical
heritage.