...The theory of knowledge, or Epistemology, is an important area in philosophy. Many great philosophical debates have developed because of the different views and principle issues dealing with epistemology. Although there are several principle issues in epistemology, my areas of focus are, empiricism, rationalism, Skepticism, and Justification. Empiricism is the theory that experience is the main focus in giving us knowledge of the world. Empiricists believe that knowledge without personal experience is impossible. Some empiricist believe that a new born baby come into the world knowing nothing and everything that they learn is only by experience. The mind is furnished with information from experience. The concept that all knowledge is arrived from the senses, leads me to believe that empiricist think that it is unreasonable to talk about things we have not experienced. Most radical empiricists believe that religions have no concrete evidence and consequently religious beliefs are insignificant. In essence, empiricism requires solid physical evidence to be considered knowledge. In contrast to empiricism, rationalism is the belief that reasoning is the most important aspect of acquiring knowledge. Rationalists believe that we have some instinctive knowledge. Certain things we just know with having personal experience directly disputes the theory that empiricists believe about newborn babies. Rationalists also believe that some truths can be worked out without having...
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...metaphor explains two things. Firstly, it states that science is constructed of realities, something which might be considered to be obvious. And secondly, it determines that these realities are required to be used and combined in a specific way in order to be able to make sense of them and to build science. This can be exemplified by referring to the metaphor used by Poincare, the bricks have to be placed in a certain way in order for them to be able to form a house, otherwise, if they are randomly placed they will just form a mound of bricks. Science is defined as the knowledge attained through study or practice (Science Made Simple). This can be related to reasoning, as in concrete, inductive reasoning, which goes from the particular to the general. Additionally, perception also plays an important role in science if we consider that science contains observations. Moreover, mathematics, is an additional area of knowledge which is inextricably linked to science. Natural Science would not be viable without mathematics, in fact, scientists often refer to mathematics as the language of science. The natural sciences use reason to function. From the definition of science stated above, one could argue that scientists only use inductive reasoning as it goes from the particular to the general and science is based on observations. However, it is a fact that Scientists also use...
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...and beliefs about what is valuable, influence the pursuit of knowledge A pursuit, by definition, requires a goal or answer to a question that the pursuer is attempting to reach. This end, towards which effort is directed, is based upon previous knowledge that says that it will be fruitful in some way. Any knowledge that is pursued is, logically, pursued for a reason. This reason must be that the knowledge could prove valuable in some way to the acquirer of the knowledge. What is believed to be valuable would thus greatly influence what knowledge is pursued. Since the beliefs about the world help define what is valuable, they too determine the type of knowledge that is searched for and acquired. This type of knowledge, that people think will be the most valuable to them, is the type of knowledge that is searched for and of course attained before the type of knowledge that is unexpected or thought unnecessary. To logically determine the extent to which the values and beliefs of humanity affect its pursuit of knowledge, all types of knowledge must be considered. Empirical knowledge significantly affects the further pursuit of knowledge; as the type of knowledge that is acquired through experiences, future pursuits of knowledge are frequently based on it. Rational knowledge is applicable because knowledge that is found through experimentation is looked for with a preconceived objective in mind. Metaphysical knowledge must be considered because beliefs about the world and the realm...
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...Theory of Knowledge Q - to what extent do these companies manipulate the consumers to thinking that sports drinks are a better alternative than water? Over the past couple of years all people who exercise have been using water as a source of replenishment for hydration, but not long ago sports drinks where invented and rapidly became popular around the world, and their companies where able to make the consumers believe that “water is not enough”. In 1985 Gatorade Sports Science Institute were able to convince the public that thirst is an unreliable indicator of dehydration to help and try to promote their products. And the experts who made this information were most likely supported or sponsored by the sports drinks companies. But they have also proven themselves correct by supporting with evidence about hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is a drop in a person’s serum sodium levels and has had a bad effect on marathon runners causing death and life threatening illnesses, and for a fact the excess consumption of water can be a cause to hyponatremia. Using this evidence an experiment was conducted to compare if sports drinks also caused hyponatremia in athletes and concluded that it does not making it a better alternative than water for these marathon runners. We also have to distinguish between professional athletes and other people. It has been claimed by the European Food Safety Authority that sports drinks hydrate better than water and can help maintain performance in endurance...
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...How do beliefs about the world and beliefs about what is valuable influence the pursuit of knowledge ? Introduction: The moment I was given this topic the first thing which came to my mind was the “Story of Buddha and Life Path of Gandhi” and questions related to their life. The so called once ordinary family man changed into Gautama Buddha inspired by few things which influenced his beliefs of the world and what is valuable to him. The same is the case with Gandhi who changed himself got influenced by a drama of “harichandra”.This proves to us two things ,one beliefs too keeps changing over a period of life span depending on one’s experience and two it has lots of influence in the pursuit of knowledge .But it is also debatable if human does this with intended purpose of knowledge or it just emerges based on myopic sight based on their own beliefs .In this essay I have attempted to ponder on few points above and try to narrow down to a logical outcome . Is Knowledge Intended? Whether in the path of life knowledge is intended or not is itself is biggest question for me today. If I ask an average human what your belief about your world is and what you value the most, the response would be may be good job, corporate life, family, money etc .Trust me I believe the knowledge is only a by-product of the path one chooses based on one’s own beliefs and I don’t think an average human intends to search for it.The path one chooses certainly depends on what one believes and trusts...
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...Theory of Knowledge Reflective Writing Responses 2014-2015 1. In my opinion, my Theory of Knowledge course was exceptional. We learned methodically, starting with building blocks. This method was effective, as it allowed us to fully understand the course’s assignment in the future. Furthermore, learning the basics first allowed us to constantly improve our skills in forming knowledge questions and knowledge claims for our presentation and final essays. This course exceeded my expectations because it allowed me to think beyond the events and consider why they happened. This was hard because I had to train my brain to think differently. However, it was worth it because I grew as a learner and an individual. I think it was important that I knew nothing of the subject prior to this course. This put me in the learner’s seat and allowed me to understand better the things I did not know. A piece of advice I would pass on to future TOK students is, “Think outside the box.” Also, “You will probably fail once or twice but you’ll get there.” 2. I – Emotions are as reliable as reason. II – Areas of knowledge are not applied; they are organized clusters of knowledge. III – No area of knowledge is inferior to another, especially the arts and the religious knowledge systems. 3. - I know bits and pieces of knowledge as I am of the opinion that we can never know the whole story. - I can say I know myself pretty well. I believe my background and experiences shape the way...
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...Personal Understanding of Theory of Knowledge Essay Student’s Name College Personal Understanding of Theory of Knowledge Essay The human nature has divergent understanding and views about certain issues of concern. This is attributed to the fact that people are unique and are from divergent backgrounds thus making them have different views about certain aspects of life. (Heydorn, 2013). Many people believe that solutions to their problems can only be found from what is within their reach. Alternatively, it might be argued that the saying is a desperate way of looking for solutions to problems. Therefore, the need to look into issues in a broad and holistic way cannot be underestimated when one is faced with difficult situations. However, sometimes people fail to accommodate other’s divergent emotions, reasons, cultural practices, and perceptions. These are sometimes influenced by an individual’s preformed opinions of being the best in the society (Spradlin, 2010). Similarly, the society may fail to approve a person’s immoral doing irrespective of the justifications or the circumstances which are offered for such actions. Ideally, handling certain situations may call for the parties involved or whoever in in-charge of the resolution to compromise their stand to certain extent. Overall, education is considered to be one of the most important assets that the governments or parents can offer their citizens and children respectively (Woempner, 2008). The economic and social...
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...Within knowledge creation theories two types of knowledge are usually defined; explicit and tacit knowledge (Nonaka, 1994; Brown & Duguid 1998; Wellman, 2009). Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) proposed a dynamic model of knowledge creation, which is anchored on the critical assumption that human knowledge is created and expanded through social interaction between tacit and explicit knowledge. This Nonaka’s ‘SECI model’ (Socialisation, Externalisation, Compination, Internalisation) is based on the notion of tacit and explicit knowledge as convertible elements (Nonaka 1994, Nonaka & Takeuchi 1995). Here the explicit knowledge refers to codified knowledge that can be expressed in words, sentences, numbers or formulas which are context free. It may include...
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...Name: Einar Ragnar Jónsson Session: May 2010 Candidate Number: 000975-‐009 Theory of Knowledge #2: Examine the ways empirical evidence should be used to make progress in different areas of knowledge. Candidate Name: Einar Ragnar Jónsson Candidate Number: 000975-009 School Name: Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð Session: May 2010 Word Count: 1595 words 1 Name: Einar Ragnar Jónsson Session: May 2010 Candidate Number: 000975-‐009 Empirical evidence has been viewed as a very prominent method of attempting to ‘prove’ something and can be applied to many of the areas of knowledge. The human sciences and natural sciences, for example, use empirical evidence to support theorems and laws, but is empirical evidence as applicable for, say, the Arts? To explore what is ‘true’ in the areas of knowledge, empirical evidence is applicable with certain limitations. ‘Empirical’ means “originating in or based on observation or experience”1 and ‘evidence’ is defined as “a thing or things helpful in forming a conclusion or judgment“2. From this, we can roughly define empirical evidence as ‘a thing helpful in forming conclusions/justifications based on observations and experience’. To attain empirical evidence, we rely on our sense perception, which provides the observations, reason, which allows for induction, and language, for communication to use the evidence. Emotion...
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...“What I tell you three times is true.” (Lewis Carroll) Might this formula – or a more sophisticated version of it – actually determine what we believe to be true? Repetition is our way of learning knowledge. Repetition is drilling something to memory, reinforcing the idea in our heads. It is the key to reflexive use (use without conscious thought). Your mind “learns” by repetition and reinforcement. Repetition and its effects on what we believe to be true, play a major role in the way that we accumulate general knowledge. The formula implies that repetition is equal to truth, when really repetition is just repetition. Repetition does not make a statement the truth. But a statement, if repeated often enough, can come to be accepted as truth. This leads us to the question whether a lie can be accepted as truth. From the standpoint of logic, the number of times an incorrect fact is repeated is irrelevant. It is still false. But research has shown that a statement, even an incorrect fact, if repeated often enough, can be accepted as truth. This paper will examine several research studies, influencing variables, and examples from everyday life to identify this occurrence. In addition to this, the possible effects of repetition will be discussed as well. One of the simplest ways to show how repetition causes a statement to be accepted as truth is gossip. First, someone tells a friend a statement, which can be true or false. This friend tells another friend, who tells another...
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...[Emotion] has the advantage of being open to all, the weak and the lowly, the illiterate and the scholar. It is seen to be as efficacious as any other method and is sometimes said to be stronger than the others, since it is its own fruition, while other methods are means to some other ends. I questioned this statement in regards to the ‘it is its own fruition’ part. I interpreted this part to mean that emotion can just be emotion. It does not lead anywhere, to another answer like reasoning something out would. For example, in math I use reason to figure problems out while, as I understand this statement, when I feel happy, I just stay that way because emotion is its own end result. I don’t agree with this idea. Emotion is not its own fruition as the statement suggests; rather, I think that emotions always lead to something more. A brain imaging study by University College London suggests that emotions almost completely rule decision making. Emotions cannot possibly just be emotions because of the millions of decisions we make every day. This morning, I decided to get up and make my bed. I decided whether to eat first or shower first. Then I decided what clothing to wear and in the bathroom whether to shampoo first or soap first. There were so many little decisions in between those pertaining to how much to feed my cat and where to set my clothes down while I took a shower. If everything I decided was mostly based on emotions, then how can an emotion just be an emotion? The...
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...To what extend is it acceptable to kill in order to save lives? The incident of bombing Hiroshima has always been a controversial topic to discuss. The moral judgments of whether it is acceptable for America to drop the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and kill 66,000 of people in order to save a greater amount of people is completely dependent on the point of view we are taking. A deontologist might think it is not acceptable because it is always wrong to kill regardless how many more lives will be save. On the other hand, a utilitarian might believe it is acceptable because it is worthy to kill a certain number and save a greater number of lives. In this case, I would argue in favor of utilitarianism, I believe the death of 66,000 is better than the death of a much larger number from different country. First of all, I would like to explain the principle of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism suggest that we should “seek the greatest happiness of the greatest number”, or we might refer as “the right of majority outweigh the right of minority”. I stand by utilitarianism because I believe in its principal and I believe the outcomes are more important than the action. During the Second World War, Japan aggressively invaded seven countries and killed millions and millions of civilians, one that might stand out in our mind is the massacre of Nanking. After their massive killings in China, they decided to attack Pearl Harbour in the US and killed thousands. As the number of death increased...
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...nursing theory has helped facilitate the development of nursing knowledge. The nursing profession has progressed greatly since it roots with Florence Nightingale, moving from reliance upon total medical direction for providing basic care and “the first duty of the nurse it that of obedience-absolute fidelity to his orders, even if the necessity of the prescribed measures is not apparent, you have no responsibility beyond that of faithfully carrying out the directions received” (Jennifer C. Telford), into an autonomous practice with its own nursing theory practices, models, and interventions. Theories are a set of interrelated concepts that give a systematic view of a phenomenon (an observable fact or event) that is explanatory and predictive in nature (Nursing Theories: a companion to nursing theories and models, 2013). Without theory what steps would be taken next, would we as nurses remain static in our fields never growing. That is not an option. A big reason for research and theories is for the development of knowledge that can then be applied in the nursing fields and or education of future nurses (Ida T. Bjork, 2013). It closes the gap between possibilities to practice. “A major drive to knowledge translation is the potential and need for improvement in clinical care (Ida T. Bjork, 2013). “It should provide the foundations of nursing practice, help to generate further knowledge and indicate in which direction nursing should develop in the future. Theory is important...
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...Elizabeth Petersen Wilde Theory of Knowledge 20 May 2012 Essay on a Prescribed Title Rewrite One of the various methods of understanding used among all living organisms is communication. Many methods of communication are built up over time to form languages. Language is formed from various rules, but consists mainly of vocabulary. Vocabulary affects how easily one person communicates with another, which in turn affects how much a person is able to know. If the vocabulary of a certain language does not contain words that describe a given event, or if a language has not developed words that are complex enough to be used to form a meaning of equal value, it is then impossible to impart that knowledge to another person. The extent of vocabulary in a language is determined by what information and knowledge can be shared, using that specific language. Vocabulary can also limit how we communicate with one another because using certain words to describe something may make understanding it much more complex. For example, when one uses abstraction they take away individualistic value to the subject to which they are referring. Does one abstract a cow to the point where they are nothing but a farming asset, or not abstract the cow enough to the point where it is only a large mass of particles and organisms? When there are multiple meanings for the same word, or if something is able to be interpreted in various ways, words and phrases may often be misunderstood and used incorrectly...
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...Topic: Teacher’s Knowledge, Identity and Major Learning Theories Using your knowledge of teacher’s knowledge bases, major learning theories and teaching preferences define your identity as ‘teacher’. Then reflect upon this position in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in respect to teaching practice. Introduction In this paper I will explore teacher knowledge bases, major learning theories, teacher identity and teaching preferences by commenting on a VET teacher who we will call Mr Black. I will then reflect upon his application of each in term of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in respect to his teaching practice. The subject, Mr Black, is retained by one organisation to conduct training and assessments for a specific group of tradesmen who will be working on a major infrastructure upgrade project. The duration of his contract is to be no more than 4 years. Mr Blacks’ background is in a related technical field and he holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment therefore he falls into the VET stream of Education Robertson (Robertson I. , 2008) has suggested that Certificate IV in Training and Assessment may provide enough opportunity to develop the applied skills required for an expert teacher. Teachers working in Vocational Education and Training (VET) face in an increasingly complex and diverse environment as highlighted by Robertson (Robertson I. , 2007) Teachers and teaching roles come in all shapes and sizes and so it is true...
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