Theory Of Knowledge 2016 Second Session Wrap Up

The second set of Theory of Knowledge classes for the 2016 cohort wrapped up today.  Students spent the last part of this session getting familiar with the strengths and limitations of language as a way of knowing.  As one of the dominant ways humans come to know stuff, language is very important to our ability to communicate knowledge. We examined potential problems with relying on language for our knowledge of reality, how understanding is lost during the process of translation, the importance of context in determining the meaning of words, the strengths and limitations of labels, the negative impact of stereotyping, and how language influences thought.

Today we started looking at sense perception as a way of knowing.  We looked at various optical illusions and discussed how our vision is not just a passive receptor of external reality, that reality can be very different from what we perceive, and that our intention can change what we perceive.  We will continue with sense perception when we come together later this month.

Theory of Knowledge - Language

The first year Theory of Knowledge students have been examining language as a way of knowing this week.  We have read various sources and watched videos that highlighted the strengths and limitations of language as a manner for conveying and acquiring knowledge.  Next week the students will be involved in a socratic dialogue exploring Orwell's 1984, particularly Newspeak vs Oldspeak, how language can shape thought, how language is used in war, and other related topics. By the end of this group of classes, students will have submitted their second think-piece on how knowledge is communicated in real-life situations between a teacher and a learner and demonstrated their understanding of language as a way of knowing through oral participation in the socratic dialoque.