THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE 1.
What is Theory of Knowledge?
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a critical look at how we generate knowledge. Students spend much of their IB years gaining knowledge in a variety of subjects and disciplines and TOK encourages them to reflect on how different disciplines generate knowledge differently. For example, the way that World War 2 concluded in 1945 is established very differently from the way we determine that 2 + 3 = 5. The characteristics of the various disciplines and the consequences of the ways in which knowledge is created within these disciplines form the focus of TOK. TOK is not a course in Philosophy; it is an investigation of the different types of knowledge (called Areas of Knowledge). What do we know, how do we know it and how do we know that we know it? Critical reflection is central to TOK and the IB Diploma.
2.
What will be the approach to learning?
Clearly, discussion, debate and disagreement is fundamental to a course of this nature. There is, in a sense, nothing to ‘learn’ in TOK; students will not be required to master the views of philosophers on the various issues under discussion nor any other body of content, although they will be expected to be familiar with some standard issues that arise in generating knowledge in the various disciplines. The students must rather work their way through to their own understanding of the strengths and limitations of various aspects of how knowledge is generated in the Areas of Knowledge. The course will be taught through seminar-style groups, in which students will be encouraged to address and debate fundamental issues through a range of tasks. Students will be expected to prepare for these discussions by engaging with material provided for that purpose, which may involve a textbook. In addition to the seminar discussions, there may be some general presentations.
3.
What will be the subject content?
At the heart of TOK are questions. Its core content is questions like: What counts as knowledge? How does it grow? What are the limitations of knowledge? Who owns knowledge? What is the value of knowledge? What are the implications of having, or not having, knowledge? Students will be encouraged to explore such questions by focusing on “Knowledge Questions”. These can be broadly characterized as:
How do we create knowledge claims? How do we justify knowledge claims? How do we use knowledge claims?
To help students explore these questions, the TOK course is organised around three themes and five areas of knowledge. The themes are
Knowledge and the Knower: Students reflect on what shapes their perspective as a knower Knowledge and Technology: How does Technology help or hinder our pursuit of knowledge? Knowledge and Language: What role does Language play in the generation of knowledge? 55
