Tok Essay on Natural Sciences - 1597 Words

What is it about theories in natural and human sciences that make them so convincing? During the course of my Biology HL syllabus, I came across the theory of the fluid mosaic model. I instantly considered this theory to be absolute and accurate. This level of certainty was created with the first reading of the theory, and evoked the question as to what makes the theories formulated in natural and human sciences as convincing as they are. Both Natural and Human scientists take pride in the fact that their work is the result of long, precise and experimental research and the fact that their theories are able to overcome the skeptical approach of human nature and produce enough certainty in people to accept their work without further†¦show more content†¦For example, if your family believes that the economic crisis will eventually affect your future, even you tend to follow â€Å"convention† and believe in the same thing. Taking the example of the cure for cancer, people at first did not believe that cancer was ever curable due the number of deaths that had amounted. Their belief that the drug developed, actually cured cancer was eventually strengthened as the positive evidences kept increasing. Today if a scientist says that he has developed a new cure for cancer, people would believe in the drug as they know science has accomplished it before, and hence can probably achieve the same feat again. In the natural sciences, research begins with a hypothesis which is followed by experiments and later proof of whether the hypothesis is accurate or is invalid. In contrast to this, we observe that in many experiments conducted, the results vary marginally and hence hamper the certainty of the research, which means that scientists have to rely on various degrees of certainty based on their recorded values to establish the overall certainty of a research project. This implies that many of the theories being applied today are not of absolute certainty, thus the use of such theories can be attributed to our belief and faith in science as a re liable source of information. Shifting the focus to my second area of knowledge which is human sciences,Show MoreRelatedTOK Essay: What is it About Theories in the Human Sciences and Natural Sciences That Makes Them Convincing?1476 Words   |  6 Pagesof the Revolution of science, the western world has valued the scientific improvement over any other, placing scientific theories and leaders on the base above their equals in lower sectors of society such as leaders within the business sector or governmental leaders, which leads to the question: Why is it that the Sciences and theories are held in such as great respects? With the two different areas of knowledge what results and consequences, do these two different sciences utilize methods suchRead MoreTo what extent do ways of knowing prevent us from deluding ourselves? Justify your answer with reference to at least one area of knowledge1618 Words   |  7 Pagesarea of knowledge Ways of knowing are the core of TOK for us to get knowledge in different Areas of Knowledge. The two key terms on this essay question are â€Å"ways of Knowing† and â€Å"deluding ourselves†. â€Å"Ways of knowing are how we acquire knowledge about the world around us, and figure out our relationship with it†. (IB Diploma Program, 31) Ways of Knowing help us to understand Areas of Knowledge fully. TOK has 8 Ways of Knowing; on this essay I will discuss the three ways: - sense perception, emotionsRead MoreWhat Is the Task of the Historian?966 Words   |  4 Pagesas an area of knowledge with the human sciences. History is knowledge about the past. What happens in the present and what will happen in the future is very much governed by what happened in the past. Without knowledge of the past, we would be without identity. History is regarded differently from human sciences because historians can’t directly observe the past. To what extent is history only foc used on past events? And to what extent do the human sciences aim to change the way societies behaveRead MoreThe Value Of Knowledge Is Greatly Diminished1566 Words   |  7 PagesAnezka Boyle O’Neill IB Theory of Knowledge Period 4 11-7-15 TOK Essay: â€Å"Without application in the world, the value of knowledge is greatly diminished.† Consider this claim with respect to two areas of knowledge. Knowledge can be defined as being skills or information acquired through experiences or encounters, an awareness of familiarity gained from an experience, and a theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. The last of these definitions is more of an arguable definition. ThereRead MorePossession of Knowledge Tok Essay614 Words   |  3 PagesTOK Outline Essay title – â€Å"The possession of knowledge carries an ethical responsibility†. Evaluate this claim. What knowledge issues I think are involved †¢ How can you possess knowledge? How do you acquire it and do these ways affect your responsibility of imparting it on others? †¢ How is the knowledge you have affected by your personal ethics? Some people would have no problem giving out certain pieces of knowledge while others would be very trouble giving out exactly the same informationRead MoreTok Essay Knowledge Is Generated Through the Interaction of Critical and Creative Thinking. Evaluate This Statement in Two Areas of Knowledge.1460 Words   |  6 Pagesway knowledge is generated is different among the various areas of knowledge, but the way we gain knowledge requires thinking, thought processes, and this may be either critical or creative. The two areas of knowledge I will be addressing are Natural sciences and the arts. The definition of critical thinking is to â€Å"judge† and thus implies the use of logical reasoning using convergent thinking. While creative thinking implies the opposite, using a divergent approach which will tend to reach a varietyRead MorePsychology And Science Of A Heterosexual And Homosexual Man Through The Cou rse Of Nature Vs. Nurture1168 Words   |  5 Pagesexploration that will summarize and investigate the researched biology and science background comparing the neurological anatomy and science of a heterosexual and homosexual man through the studies; Simon LeVay, Roselli, Hamers, Sanders, Hansen. The perception of whether homosexuality conforms to the course of nature vs. nurture can influence the amount of scrutiny judged upon affected individuals. So, the purpose of this extended essay is to answer the research question of to what extent is there a biologicalRead MoreTok Essay: That Which Can Be Asserted Without Evidence Can Be Dismissed Without Evidence1540 Words   |  7 Pages|TOK Essay Title : â€Å"That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence† Do you agree ? | |Word Count: 1240 Words | Evidence is a thing or things that help in attaining knowledge. The statement â€Å"that which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence† means that it is possibleRead MoreTok Essay: Critical and Creative Thinking1599 Words   |  7 PagesWilde Theory of Knowledge 3 May 2012 TOK Essay Response: Critical and Creative Thinking Since the dawn of humanity, man has sought to gain further insight on life through attaining knowledge. Knowledge can be defined as any information gained through personal experience. The means of obtaining knowledge include four main branches: reason, perception, language, and emotion. Despite the means, all knowledge is formulated through the process of thinking. Thinking refers to the use of the mindRead MoreThe Knowledge Of Natural Sciences And History1592 Words   |  7 Pagesactually stayed with me for the whole TOK course. I found it very difficult to find a link, for example, of perception in math or how reason could fit into art. A network suggests that more than one way of knowing can collaborate within another in order to gain knowledge in a particular Area of knowing. The statement implies that not using a network of WOK to gain knowledge is unwise. Thus, I wish to examine how we best acquire knowledge in Natural Sciences and History. My two central knowledge