Technology & the Knower (DP IB Theory of Knowledge): Revision Note

Technology & the knower

• Technology expands human capabilities, and impacts how we acquire, produce and share knowledge

• Technology is a human tool, so it works within our societies and cultures

  • Knowers use skills from other areas of knowledge to use technology successfully

• Because of the knowledge required to produce, use and control technology, access to that knowledge affords power

Technology and cognition

• Cognition refers to mental processes, such as:

  • perceiving

  • remembering 

  • reasoning

• Many technologies act as cognitive extensions that support these processes, e.g.:

  • microscopes and digital cameras amplify what our senses can detect

  • digital note-taking apps store and organise details that would otherwise be forgotten

  • search engines help knowers compare information and check whether conclusions are supported by evidence

• At the same time, technology can limit cognition, for example, by

  • narrowing what knowers encounter in personalised feeds that mainly show familiar views

  • encouraging knowers to rely on technological support rather than using mental arithmetic or remembering routes

Changes to attention, memory and decision-making

• Technology can change how knowers pay attention, remember information and make decisions about media consumption

  • Attention can become fragmented when notifications encourage rapid switching between tasks rather than sustained focus

  • Easy digital storage means knowers may rely on external memory

  • Ratings and algorithms can speed up decision-making, but may lead to quick choices based mainly on popularity

Dependence on technological tools

• Many knowers are increasingly dependent on devices and platforms for communication, navigation and learning; this impacts knowers because:

  • dependence can make it difficult to critically assess the reliability of tools, such as search engines or auto-complete, stopping knowers from evaluating ideas

  • when skills, such as spelling and translating, are repeatedly offloaded onto technology, knowers may lose confidence in their own abilities

• This dependence raises questions about who controls the tools we rely on and how that control may shape knowledge that seems natural or obvious to us

Human-machine interaction

• Human-machine interaction refers to the two-way exchange between people and digital systems, such as:

  • typing searches 

  • clicking links

  • liking posts

  • asking a voice assistant questions

• These interactions help determine which knowledge we can access, because our clicks, likes, and watch-time are turned into data that platforms use to personalise search results, news feeds, and recommendations

  • Over time, this personalisation can create filter bubbles, where knowers mainly encounter information that confirms their existing interests, habits, or viewpoints

• Interface design shapes how knowledge appears by deciding what is highlighted, pushed to the top, or made easy to share, so some claims seem more important or trustworthy simply because of how they are presented

• As knowers, we need to question how everyday interactions with machines might widen, narrow, or bias the knowledge that feels normal or obvious to us