TOK draft

TOK prompt draft 11:

Can new knowledge change established values or beliefs?

Word count:950

The question of the alteration of beliefs through the establishment of new knowledge has been a
phenomenon that has been observed through all of human history and can be demonstrated
through the knowledge provided by various sources over time.nature itself can be a source of
knowledge but as humanity evolved we developed a sense of higher being and used religion as
a source of knowledge for an abundant amount of our history and some still use it today but as
civilisation has rapidly developed, science and technology has now become the bais and facet
to form new knowledge and base existing knowledge off off.

Object 1 Lotus:
The reason I chose a lotus as one of my objects is because it is the original
source of knowledge. In this exhibition, the lotus represents nature and earth’s
basic ecological and environmental surroundings. The way humans learned at
the beginning was how they perceived their surroundings;through observational
learning. At the beginning of humanity, we established new knowledge through
our natural surroundings, which was necessary for our survival as it led us to
understand how nature interacts with us and how we can manipulate it to
forward our goals and fulfill our needs as before our understanding of nature, we
used to live as underdeveloped cavemen and woman hunting and tribes that
formed were [profilerated with disease and famine but using nature we forwarded
our goals..The lotus is an excellent representation of how we can gain new
knowledge by observing and experimenting with nature. In ancient times, people
observed the lotus plant and noticed its unique properties, such as its ability to
float on water and its fragrant and beautiful flowers. They experimented with the
plant and discovered that it had medicinal properties that could help alleviate
various ailments. This knowledge was then passed down through generations
and became an established belief in many cultures, including in India, where it is
used in Ayurvedic medicine to this day. The reason this is important to the
question at hand is that it shows how knowledge can evolve over time as the
lotus may have only been seen as a plant with special adaptations but eventually
it transformed into this cultural icon for many religions and countries as a
multifaceted tool however is not accepted as fact or truth around the world as
some more medically developed countries may view it as a pseudoscience.
Thuis then proves that the evolution of knowledge is possible but not all of a
population or society may accept it as truth or knowledge.

Object 2: Bhagavad Gita (Religious Text)

I chose this object as growing up as a Hindu,My knowledge was hugely based on
this text and it represents the next stage of human evolution of knowledge,
which was based on faith and many religions have used this utilisation of
knowledge through some kind of central or holy text to determine their knowledge
of the universe and dictate their basic routine which includes their opinions of
groups. Religious texts are often used to establish new knowledge through
interpretation. Religious texts frequently use symbolic or metaphorical language
that can be read in a variety of ways. People may interpret these texts in different
ways to handle these challenges as society changes and new problems appear.
For instance, some have understood the Bhagavad Gita's concept of nonviolence
to encompass nonviolence toward animals, which has fueled the expansion of
the vegetarian and animal rights organizations.It's possible for long-held values
and ideas to be resistant to change. Religious books frequently include lessons
that have been handed down through the years; hence, many people would
regard them as unalterable. In some instances, new information may contradict
these widely held ideals and beliefs, provoking opposition or even conflict.
Object 3:
Scientific Textbook:

The final object for this exhibition is a scientific text or textbook to represent the
final stage of establishing human knowledge which is the study of life and
everything that has happened , happens and will happen in the universe through
laws and observation.the I chose this object is because it led me into my future
career path of the scientific field.Science textbooks are one example of a
resource that contains a wealth of scientific knowledge that is constantly evolving
and changing as new discoveries are made.Through observation and
experimentation, new knowledge can be established using scientific methods. In
order to test theories about how natural phenomena operate, scientists observe
phenomena and design experiments. They acquire information from these tests
that can be utilized to create new theories and deepen our understanding of the
environment. For instance, the identification of DNA and its significance in
genetics has revolutionized our understanding of biology and created new
opportunities for medical study.On the other hand, ingrained attitudes and beliefs
can be hard-wired to resist change in the face of fresh scientific understanding.
New scientific findings, for instance, may refute ideas about the age of the Earth
or the origins of life, but some people or organizations may stick to their
convictions in the face of the evidence. In addition, how new scientific knowledge
is absorbed and used can depend on ethical considerations.Although science
has been a deciding factor since the late 1700;s in our perception of what truth
and knowledge actually are, the 2 objects before this one in this exhibition and
what they represent are opposing factions that contradict what science has to
say which shows even though new, mostly proven knowledge has been
established there will always be a contention within the boundaries of knowledge
and what truth is stated to be.