Day 13 (9/3): The Cogito

Aims and Objectives:

to encourage students to reflect on the central question, “How do we know that?”, and to recognize the value of asking that question
to expose students to ambiguity, uncertainty and questions with multiple plausible answers
to encourage students to be more aware of their own perspectives and to reflect critically on their own beliefs and assumptions

Essential Questions:

What is the role of skepticism in our approach to knowledge construction?
How weird is it that we can actually, really, know anything at all?

Agenda:

The Cogito

Descartes: cogito ergo sum
An Introduction to Radical Skepticism
Putnam: The Brain in a Vat
"The Matrix"
Nick Bostrom on why you are probably living in a computer simulation

Homework:

CAS Blog due Sunday - our next CAS day is Friday

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Day 66 (3/14): Artifacts, Memory, and a Sense of the Past

Key Questions: Is all knowledge in some sense historical knowledge? Is empathy more important in history than in other areas of knowledge? What challenges does archive-based history emphasize about how knowledge is shared and preserved? Agenda Reading Time: Alan Radley, "Artifacts, Memory, and a Sense of the Past" Upcoming: Wednesday: At The History Museum Thursday: TOK Exhibition Draft Submitted Sunday: Blog (Details on Friday)

Day 52 (1/26): One Man's Trash

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Day 46 (1/7): What is Artifactual Knowledge?

Aims & Objectives: to encourage students to reflect on the central question, “How do we know that?”, and to recognize the value of asking that question to encourage students to make connections between academic disciplines by exploring underlying concepts and by identifying similarities and differences in the methods of inquiry used in different areas of knowledge to prompt students to consider the importance of values, responsibilities and ethical concerns relating to the production, acquisition, application and communication of knowledge. Key Knowledge Questions: Is knowledge about the past different from other kinds of knowledge? What challenges does archive-based history emphasize about how knowledge is shared and preserved? What is unique about the methodology of history compared to other areas of knowledge? Agenda: Unit Intro: Matter & Memory Pt. 1: Artifactual Knowledge What are artifacts? Artifactual Investigation Activity Collect your artifacts (20 minutes) Share...

TOK I (Class of 2023)

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