Written by: Sam Chapman, 12
Photograph taken from: visitphilly.com
TOK: Theory of Knowledge. Some would call it a dumbed down philosophy course, but I would assert that it is much more extensive and valuable than this hasty labeling gives it credit. At the core, TOK is a mandatory course for all IB Diploma students which is centred around four Ways of Knowing (perception, reason, emotion, and language), and six Areas of Knowledge (human sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, history, the arts, and ethics) which are said to govern our grasp of all that we understand. Not unlike all other IB courses, many students complain about the content and value of the course, which leads us to the first and only knowledge issue to be explored in this article: what are the benefits of the TOK course for the IB student?
This knowledge issue will be explored through the ways of knowing of reason, emotion, and language; and general reference will be made to all the areas of knowledge. My claim is that the TOK course expands a student’s comprehension of all the other courses he or she is likely to take, and fosters critical thinking. As each Area of Knowledge is explored, so are all of the disciplines offered by the IB. For example, the Area of Knowledge of the human sciences brings into focus the subjects of psychology and economics, and the Area of Knowledge of the arts exposes students to different perspectives regarding English literature and theatre. If the premises that exposure to all available knowledge regarding a subject enriches a student’s understanding of that subject, and that the TOK course provides this exposure, then deductive reasoning can be used to assert that TOK is relevant and valuable to students taking all other subjects in the IB. However, the first premise in this syllogism may not be entirely accurate, as unnecessary information may lead to confusion. Simply by making this statement, I have proven how TOK fosters critical thinking in IB students. My counterclaim is that TOK detracts from other IB subjects by taking time and mental resources away from them. I, myself, have felt incredibly stressed over the past few weeks. Although this has had no great effect on my grades (which, by the way, are impeccable), I can clearly see how emotion may convince some students that TOK is redundant and unnecessarily difficult. However, this is greatly due to the type of language often employed regarding TOK. No senior will discuss TOK without some tone of exasperation, or words like “superfluous” and “extraneous” (well, perhaps not, but I did always have a rather floral vocabulary).
I therefore hope that this article will work to dispel some of the negative perspectives surrounding the incredibly enriching topic that is TOK. And what are the implications of this claim? I frankly have no idea. I always struggled with “implications” in my TOK class.
