Looking at Cool Stuff

Take us on a journey of sight and sound. Perhaps you will begin on Colossal (at right), perhaps with OK Go, RadioLab, or elsewhere. Find an experience to share that challenges you to think in an unexpected way. Lead us to see what we do not believe. Begin your post with a link, then explain the adventure you and your brain took. Identify the ways of knowing you employed. Finally, compose a knowledge question that is concretely grounded in the real world situation you've shared. Please complete your writing by Sunday at 6 pm. Come to class on Monday with two other people's posts that you'd like to discuss. Happy trails.

What's That Supposed to Mean?

Here in this environment where stumbling is a vital part of successful learning (synonymous, perhaps, with trying),  I'd like you to stretch a bit for this post.  One of this year's prescribed titles for the TOK essay is, "there is no such thing as a neutral question. Evaluate this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge."  Please formulate a response to this for Sunday.  Don't just start writing. Unpack the first sentence, perhaps in conversation with a classmate, and decide, first, what you take it to mean.  Begin your writing by explaining your interpretation.  Then evaluate the statement in the two areas of knowledge you choose. As ever, your writing will be strengthened by reference to concrete, real world situations that you understand.  Your post is due Sunday at 6 pm.  Come to class on Monday having read one another's posts and with one selected that you'd like to discuss.

Princess Attire Optional

Time to actively observe.  For Wednesday night's post, please notice and record (in writing) one instance of language that strikes you as inappropriate.  I don't mean profane: identify someone's use of language that is phrased in a way that strikes you as out of context, as somehow surprising given the setting and audience.  Make note of exactly why it strikes you as such, and share the reactions of those involved, whether it was deliberate or not (as best you can tell), and the implications of the language as used.  Be as concrete and specific as you are able.  As before, preserve the anonymity of those involved.  One final note: you may not stage a language incident. The speaker must not be a member of our class or be influenced by you to perform.  Please post your writing by 9:30 Wednesday evening and come to class having read one another's posts.

Goat Hunting, Probably

As McKim enjoys her new, odds-defying dream car, let's review. We've considered several explanations of the best strategy when confronted with the Monty Hall Problem: the mathematical explanation (including the 100-door version); the simplified version; and the draw-every-possibility-and-count-with-Bogel version.  As you think back and perhaps rewatch these, consider the ways of knowing that you employed in your responses.  How did your responses change as we talked and learned? In what ways did different ways of knowing help and hinder your efforts to understand which strategy was best? Analyze and explain fully, posting your writing by 9:30 on Tuesday evening.  Please arrive at class on Thursday having read all your classmates' writings. Have a great weekend.

Subatomic Knowledge

To force Rose to answer her own question, I'd like you to spend some time this weekend at 3 Quarks Daily.  Please browse the site and select an article.  Read it.  In your post, share a link to the specific piece you choose.  Then extract a knowledge question that includes explicit reference to at least one way of knowing. Finally, connect that KQ to a moment of knowledge from one of your courses.  To be clear: the connection should be based on the applicability of the knowledge question, not on similarity of subject matter.  This is due by 9:30 Sunday evening.

The Peripatetic Knower

A two stage post this week: first, revisit your KQ from the last post.  Assess it through the Enterprise lens:

and ask yourself on which side of this line it lies:

 
As you deem fit, either edit for strength or justify as strong.
Second, please report on the moment of knowledge that you discovered on today's ramblings, its source, and the new KQ that it inspired in you.  This is all due Wednesday by 9:30 pm.

Take the Knowledge and Run

Time to test your TOK legs.  As we did in class today, I want you to generate a knowledge question from some other area of your life.  Choose a moment of knowledge from your day, share it, and then extract a knowledge question. Remember that your KQ should be an open question, not limited to the moment from which it derives, and must be about knowledge.  Before you post, ask yourself: does answering this question lead to an investigation of the nature of knowledge? You may find it helpful to refer to one or more Ways of Knowing and/or Areas of Knowledge.  Please share your work by 9:30 Wednesday evening.

Feel Your Way Around the World

As we begin to consider emotion as a Way of Knowing, I'd like to ground us in the earth.  Take a thoughtful look through these maps.  Consider the perspectives they represent and the assumptions that they challenge.  Identify two to which you have emotional responses.  For each, share the following in your post:

• Which map (title and number) you are discussing;
• The emotion(s) it evoked;
• What your response reveals about your perspective as a knower.

This writing is due Sunday the 21st by 9:30 pm.  Happy travels.

I Find Your Lack of Consistency Invalid

Perk up your ears and open your eyes: seek ye out the inconsistent! For this post, please recognize and document one instance each of real-life inconsistency and invalidity. Transcribe your examples exactly, post them, and explain why they are as you say. Please preserve the anonymity of your sources. These posts are due by 8 am on Thursday 9/18.

Consistency, Validity, and Truth, Within Reason

Let's build a framework for our burgeoning discussion of reason as a way of knowing.  We'll talk next week about whether we see reason and logic as the same things.  In the mean time let's learn some logic. First, work through this logic tutorial on consistency and validity.  Once on the site, follow the Tutorials link, then select Tutorial One.  Continue until you finish Exercise 1.4.  Next, please tackle these logic puzzles.  Work patiently and with a pencil, reasoning out the consequences of each statement and, where appropriate, its speaker. For your post, please write one statement that is valid and one statement that is consistent.  In class on Monday, please be ready to explain why your statements are valid and consistent, respectively. Share your writing as a comment on this post.  This is due Sunday before 9:30 pm.

Do You Know What You Mean?

Welcome to your thinky space. As you stretch your mind's legs and look around, please think about what you mean when you say you know. If and when you claim to know something, what exactly are you claiming? How do you know that you know?  Please offer a thorough explanation of what knowing means to you.  This writing is due by 8 am on Thursday, September 11.