Introducing the Core Theme (DP IB Theory of Knowledge): Revision Note

Core question: “How do we know what we know?”

• ToK focuses on how knowledge is formed, not just on what we know

• The question “How do we know what we know?” asks us to think about:

  • sources of knowledge, i.e. where do we get our knowledge from?

  • how we interpret evidence to decide that something is true, reliable or justified

• This question directs attention to the processes behind knowing, rather than to facts alone, and helps us to identify the strengths and limits of our own thinking

• Knowledge and the Knower is about how we as knowers engage with knowledge, in terms of how it is

  • acquired

  • produced

  • evaluated

  • distributed

• In ToK a “knowledge claim” is made when someone treats a statement as factually true, based on justification, e.g. evidence or testimony

  • The four elements of the knowledge framework are lenses for analysing a knowledge claim

  • Knowledge questions are contestable questions about knowledge itself (not just the topic) that help you evaluate how strong a knowledge claim is, e.g.:

    • what counts as sufficient evidence? 

    • how should uncertainty affect what we claim to know?

Examining yourself as a knower

• The core theme asks you to examine yourself as a knower by analysing your:

  • beliefs; something an individual accepts as true

  • values; the things a person sees as important, good or desirable

  • habits of mind; the characteristic ways a person tends to think, inquire and respond to questions

• This course highlights how your personal background and experiences shape your approach to knowledge

The role of beliefs, values and habits of mind

• Your beliefs and values influence what you notice, what you trust and what you dismiss as unimportant

• Your habits of mind, such as being cautious, sceptical or impulsive, influence how you respond to evidence and arguments

• Recognising the role of beliefs, values and habits of mind is important because it helps you to understand why you might accept or reject knowledge claims

How personal and shared knowledge interact

• Personal knowledge consists of what you know through your own experiences and reflections, and is unique to you as an individual knower

• Shared knowledge is produced by groups, cultures, academic disciplines and communities

• Personal and shared knowledge interact because

  • your personal understanding is shaped by shared knowledge

  • your personal perspective influences how you interpret that shared knowledge