Knowledge questions

Knowledge questions

The TOK curriculum centres around the exploration of knowledge questions. Knowledge questions are crucial to effective TOK discussions as they help to make sure that students are focusing on questions about knowledge itself and about how we know things. Knowledge questions help students to move beyond subject-specific questions or specific real-life situations into the realm of TOK.

Knowledge questions are questions about knowledge—about how knowledge is produced, acquired, shared and used; what it is and what it is not; who has it and who does not; and who decides the answers to these questions. Instead of focusing on subject-specific content or specific examples, students focus on how knowledge is constructed and evaluated. In this sense, knowledge questions are distinct from many of the questions that students encounter in their other subjects.

Knowledge questions are contestable in that there are a number of plausible answers to them. Dealing with these open contestable questions is a key feature of TOK, although some students can find the lack of a single “right” answer slightly disorienting. In TOK discussions, it is perfectly conceivable that answers to a question may differ—what matters is that the analysis is thorough, accurate and effectively supported by examples and evidence.

Knowledge questions also draw on TOK concepts and terminology, rather than using subject-specific terminology or specific examples. Knowledge questions draw on central TOK concepts such as evidence, certainty, values, and interpretation.

Knowledge questions underlie much of the knowledge that we take for granted and are often the motivation for many disagreements and controversies. Exploration of knowledge questions can therefore help us to have a deeper understanding of how knowledge is constructed and evaluated in different areas, as well as helping us to make sense of the world around us.

Knowledge questions are the key tool for teaching and learning in TOK. The two assessment tasks—the TOK exhibition and TOK essay—centre on the exploration of knowledge questions as both the Internal Assessment (IA) prompts and the prescribed essay titles take the form of knowledge questions. It is therefore crucial that students engage with the exploration and discussion of knowledge questions throughout the TOK course.

Knowledge questions play a crucial role in helping students to move beyond subject specific questions or specific real-life situations into TOK discussions that are focused explicitly on knowledge.

Throughout this guide, examples of knowledge questions are suggested for each of the themes and areas of knowledge.

In order to encourage and support students in making comparisons and connections across different elements of the course, the knowledge questions suggested for each theme and area of knowledge are organized into a “knowledge framework” consisting of four common elements: scope, perspectives, methods and tools, and ethics.

These four elements provide a structure to help students explore and analyse the different aspects of the course, as well as providing a common vocabulary to help encourage comparisons and connections. They can also provide a useful starting point to help non-TOK teachers make links to TOK in their other DP subjects.

The knowledge questions suggested in this guide for each theme and area of knowledge are suggested examples only; they are not prescriptive. Teachers are free to explore the themes and areas of knowledge using a variety of different examples and knowledge questions of their choice.

However, teachers are required to ensure that, within their discussions of each theme and area of knowledge, they include discussion of examples and knowledge questions that relate to each of the four elements.

Scope

This element focuses on exploring the nature and scope of the different themes and areas of knowledge. It explores how each theme/area of knowledge fits within the totality of human knowledge, and also considers the nature of the problems that each theme/area of knowledge faces and tries to address.

Examples of knowledge questions relating to scope include the following.

• What motivates the pursuit of knowledge in these themes/areas of knowledge?

• What practical problems can be solved through the application of knowledge from these themes/areas of knowledge?

• What are the key current open/unanswered questions in these themes/areas of knowledge?

• What makes this theme/area of knowledge important?

Perspectives

This element focuses on the importance and influence of perspectives and context. This includes reflection on the students’ own perspectives and what informs them, as well as how different people or groups view or approach knowledge in the different themes/areas of knowledge. It also includes reflection on historical perspectives and how knowledge changes over time.

Examples of knowledge questions relating to perspectives include the following.

• What is the significance of key historical developments within these themes/areas of knowledge?

• What do these themes/areas of knowledge identify about knowledge that is rooted in particular social and cultural groups?

• Are some types of knowledge less open to interpretation than others?

• Is an understanding of the perspective of other knowers essential in the pursuit of knowledge?

Methods and Tools

This element focuses on exploring the methods, tools and practices that we use to produce knowledge. This includes the building of conceptual frameworks, the establishing of traditions and practices, as well as the methodologies employed by formal disciplines. It also includes consideration of the cognitive and material tools that we have available to help us in the pursuit of knowledge, and of how these tools have changed as a result of technological developments.

Examples of knowledge questions relating to methods and tools include the following.

• What assumptions underlie the methods of inquiry used in these themes/areas of knowledge?

• Does what is seen to constitute “good evidence” vary from discipline to discipline and culture to culture? How is knowledge produced and communicated in these themes/areas of knowledge?

• How important are material tools in the production and acquisition of knowledge?

Ethics

This element focuses on exploring ethics and the ethical considerations that have an impact on inquiry in the different themes and areas of knowledge. This includes aspects such as the relationship between facts and values, and how ethical and epistemic values are built into the quest for knowledge. It also includes questions relating to knowledge and inequality and injustice. It is crucial that TOK discussions about ethics focus on the knowledge questions that are woven into, and implied, in the ethical issues being discussed, rather than the focus being on debating the ethical issues themselves.

Examples of knowledge questions relating to ethics include the following.

• Should the pursuit of knowledge in these themes/areas of knowledge be subject to ethical constraints?

• What responsibilities rest on the knower as a result of their knowledge in these themes/areas of knowledge?

• How can we know when we should act on what we know?

• Do established values change in the face of new knowledge?