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.