Theory of Knowledge                                                       Booker T. Washington High School

Focus: 

The focus in the IB Theory of Knowledge course is to examine what we know in the various fields of knowledge and how we know it. 

Rationale: 

The subjects that we study in our high school careers are, perhaps of necessity, compartmentalized – History, Sciences, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Literature, etc.  It is rare that students can view these disciplines under any larger perspective.  This is essentially the aim of the Theory of Knowledge course - to view the knowledge disciplines from the perspective of knowledge itself, noting the similarities and differences in the formations of knowledge, and noting the strengths and limitations in the various approaches to knowledge.

What Theory of Knowledge is Not: 

TOK is not simply a philosophy course that studies the nature, methods, limitations, and validity of knowledge.  It is not solely a course in logic or “critical thinking,” though it touches on logic as an element of logic formation and justification.  It is not a course that promotes relativism over absolutism, for it approaches both of these positions with a critical eye to their strengths and weaknesses.  Nor is it a course that sets out to change someone’s mind about moral, aesthetic, or religious issues. 

AIMS of the Theory of Knowledge course:

§       to consider what it means to know something

§       to consider the relationship between knowledge and the world

§       to consider the strengths and limitations of different ways of knowing 

OBJECTIVES of the Theory of Knowledge course:

§       to relate subjects to each other and to personal knowledge and experience

§       to understand and appreciate the importance of inquiry as a basis for knowledge

§       to recognize the biases inherent in each discipline

§       to apply recognized criteria to evaluate issues and questions from varying viewpoints

§       to appreciate the relationship of knowledge to culture 

TOPICS of the Theory of Knowledge course include:

§      comparing four ways of thinking: analytical, empirical, moral, aesthetic

§      understanding the roles of language and logical argument in knowledge

§      examining different knowledge systems: mathematics, natural sciences, human sciences, history

§      examining value judgment, bias, and culture across disciplines