Knowledge+Issues

Understanding knowledge issues

This document is designed to clarify the term “knowledge issues”. This term is central to the theory of knowledge (TOK) course and its assessment. Students who can effectively identify and address knowledge issues will be at a significant advantage in assessment tasks.

Knowledge issues are issues **about** knowledge. They can apply to any aspect of knowledge and may refer to the acquisition, production, shaping, classification, status, and acceptance or rejection of knowledge. Knowledge issues range from the extremely general (“Can a fact exist without a context?”, “What constitutes good evidence?”) to the specific (“How can we distinguish between valid and invalid deductive arguments?”, “What should the role of emotion be in the justification of ethical decisions?”). Both extremes are appropriate focuses for TOK discussions and both can and should be explored in a TOK course. However, not all knowledge issues are equally appropriate for assessment purposes.

**Knowledge issues for assessment purposes ** Students are required to address knowledge issues in both their essays and their presentations. In both cases it is helpful for students to be able to explore and analyse knowledge issues that will demonstrate their understanding. Given the vast range of knowledge issues that could be addressed, it is appropriate to offer guidance as to what types of knowledge issue are most likely to support high levels of achievement in both essays and presentations.

Knowledge issues that are most likely to support high levels of achievement are:

• open-ended questions that admit more than one possible answer

• explicitly **about** knowledge in itself and not subject-specific claims

• couched in terms of TOK vocabulary and concepts: the areas of knowledge, the ways of knowing and the concepts in the linking questions—belief, certainty, culture, evidence, experience, explanation, interpretation, intuition, justification, truth, values

• precise in terms of the relationships between these concepts

Note that these conditions are not formal requirements and that marks should always be awarded according to the criteria in the //Theory of knowledge guide// (March 2006). Experience suggests, however, that knowledge issues that satisfy these conditions are more likely to support success under the assessment criteria. It is important to clarify that although (for presentation purposes), “poor” knowledge issues may be relevant and so may attract credit under criterion A, they are unlikely to support the focused exploration and development required for the award of high marks under other criteria. The development of a “good” knowledge issue is, therefore, advisable for assessment purposes.

Developing good knowledge issues takes practice and tables can help you.

• Explicitly about knowledge • <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">Couched in terms of TOK vocabulary and concepts <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 5.5pt;">1 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">• <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">Precise in terms of relationships between these concepts || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">What is it about a <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">scientific explanation <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">that makes it <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">convincing or <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">unconvincing? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">To what extent can the <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">human sciences use <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">mathematical <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">techniques to make <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">accurate predictions? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">How can reason be <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">used to justify religious <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">belief? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">What, if anything, do <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">optical illusions tell us <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">about sense perception <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">and truth? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">What role should <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">intuition play in justifying <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">capital punishment? || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">• <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">an open-ended question <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">• <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">explicitly about knowledge || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">How can we decide if <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">acupuncture works or <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">not? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">How can we use <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">models to predict crime <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">waves. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Are religious beliefs <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">reasonable? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">What can we learn <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">from optical illusions? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">How can we know if <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">capital punishment is <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">right or wrong? || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">• <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">a closed question <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">• <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">implicitly about knowledge || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Does acupuncture <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">work? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Will predictions on <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">teenage smoking turn <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">out to be correct? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">How do religious <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">people come to their <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">beliefs? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Why do optical illusions <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">happen? || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Capital punishment: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">why should or shouldn’t <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">we adopt it? || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">• <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">a statement or a description <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">of a situation <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">• <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">a closed question <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">• <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">a subject-specific topic or <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">question rather than about <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">knowledge in itself || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Traditional medicine || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Stopping teenagers <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">smoking || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Physics and God || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Optical illusions || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The execution of <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Saddam Hussein || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">for the presentation or an example <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">in the essay: || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">My uncle went to an <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">acupuncturist || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">A new government <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">policy || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Article on science and <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">religion || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">An optical illusion || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">A book: //The Execution// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt;">of Saddam Hussein // ||
 * ** Level ** ||  ** Descriptor **  ||  ** Example A **  ||  ** Example B **  ||  ** Example C **  ||  ** Example D **  ||  ** Example E **  ||
 * ** Good ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">An open-ended question
 * ** Intermediate ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">May be:
 * ** Poor ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">May be:
 * ** Not a Knowledge Issue ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">May be:
 * ** Real Life Situation ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">This could be the real-life situation