tok essay knowledge bubbles

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ToK Essay Prompts Demystified: Interpreting and Tackling 2023's Questions

Navigating the complex web of ToK essay prompts can feel like trying to decipher an ancient manuscript – it's challenging, yet deeply rewarding. Every year, the IB presents students with fresh, thought-provoking questions that aren’t just about showcasing your knowledge but also your ability to reason, reflect, and engage in intellectual play.

Now, 2023's prompts have landed, and you might be wondering: "How do I even begin to approach these?" Relax. It's normal to feel overwhelmed. However, understanding your prompt is the first (and perhaps most crucial) step towards crafting an essay that stands out. A well-interpreted prompt can be the foundation of a stellar essay, and that's what we're diving into today.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clearer vision of what these questions are really asking and how you can tackle them with confidence and creativity. Ready? Let’s demystify these prompts together!

The ABCs of ToK Essay Prompts

Understanding ToK essay prompts isn't just about reading the words. It's about delving deep into their meaning, intent, and the broader context they inhabit. Think of each prompt as a puzzle. At first glance, it might seem daunting, but each piece holds a clue to the bigger picture.

Why These Questions? The Intent Behind the Prompt

Every ToK essay prompt is meticulously crafted. The questions are designed to push you to reflect, reason, and develop an individual perspective on knowledge and how it interacts with the world. Remember, it's not just about answering the question but also about showcasing how you think and perceive the world of knowledge.

The Layers of a Prompt: Surface and Depth

On the surface, a ToK essay question may seem straightforward. But scratch a little deeper, and you'll uncover layers of meaning. Each prompt comes with its set of nuances, undertones, and subtleties. It's your job to unearth these layers, interpret them, and mold your essay around your unique understanding.

Flexing Your Interpretative Muscles

Interpreting a ToK prompt isn't much different from analyzing a poem or a piece of art. There's no singular 'correct' way to approach it. Multiple interpretations can coexist, and your perspective is just as valid as any other, provided it's well-reasoned and backed by thoughtful reflection. Remember, the IB isn't looking for a 'right answer' but rather, they want to witness the journey of your thought process.

2023's ToK Essay Prompts: A Closer Look

Alright, champions of knowledge! The much-awaited 2023 ToK essay questions are here. Let's unpack these thought-provoking challenges that await your intellectual prowess:

The Role of Replicability : Is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge? Dive into the depths of this question, referencing two areas of knowledge and unveiling the significance of reproducibility in our understanding of the world.

Artists vs. Natural Scientists : For artists and natural scientists, which is more crucial: what can be explained or what cannot be? Delve into the contrasting yet intertwined worlds of arts and the natural sciences. How do explanation and mystery influence these fields?

Knowledge in Bubbles : Does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in "bubbles" where some information and voices are excluded? Explore the implications and consequences of receiving knowledge in isolated silos. What do we gain, and what might we be missing out on?

The Paradox of Power : Do you agree with Bertrand Russell's assertion that it is "astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power"? Dive into the dynamic realm of the natural sciences and another area of knowledge to reflect upon the immense power that even a sliver of understanding can bestow upon us.

The Visual Aid Dilemma : Are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge? Challenge or defend the use of visuals in the expansive territories of the human sciences and mathematics. How do visuals shape, aid, or potentially hinder our understanding?

Methodologies and Outcomes : To what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use? Take a journey through history and another area of knowledge to discern the profound influence of methodologies on our comprehension of the past and the world around us.

Phew! Talk about a brainstorming marathon! Remember, while these prompts may initially seem dense, each one is a golden opportunity to showcase your unique perspective on knowledge. The journey might be challenging, but the rewards – oh, they're worth every ounce of effort.

Delving Deeper into Select Prompts

While all of the 2023 ToK essay prompts are a treasure trove of intellectual exploration, let's zoom in and dissect a few of them a bit more, shall we? This deep dive will provide a clearer understanding, perhaps sparking that ‘aha’ moment for your own essay.

The Role of Replicability in Knowledge Production

Overview : This topic challenges us to reflect on the importance of replicability in research and knowledge generation. But why is it significant? Think of scientific experiments. If a result can be consistently replicated, it bolsters its credibility.

Possible Angle : Contrast the natural sciences, where replicability is often a cornerstone, with another area of knowledge where it might not hold as much weight. For instance, in the arts, is a replicated piece as valuable as an original?

Knowledge in Bubbles - A Double-Edged Sword?

Overview : The modern age, with its vast array of information platforms, often sees us in echo chambers, where we hear opinions and facts that align with our own views. But what's the consequence of such selective knowledge acquisition?

Possible Angle : Evaluate the pros and cons. For instance, while these bubbles can strengthen community ties and provide tailored knowledge, are they also breeding grounds for misinformation or limiting broader understanding?

The Paradox of Power in Knowledge

Overview : Bertrand Russell's assertion highlights a profound observation – sometimes, even a little knowledge can yield immense power. But is this always a good thing?

Possible Angle : Reflect on historical instances where limited knowledge led to significant consequences, both positive and negative. Additionally, ponder on the ethical implications when wielding such power.

Remember, these prompts are meant to stimulate your thinking, not restrict it. Let your creativity flow. Dive deep, challenge assumptions, and most importantly, enjoy the intellectual journey. If at any point you find yourself hitting a roadblock, revisit our previous guide on mastering the ToK essay for some inspiration and direction.

General Strategies for Approaching ToK Essay Prompts

Alright, young scholars, having taken a closer look at a few of the prompts, it’s time to arm you with some universal strategies to tackle any ToK essay topic. Whether you’re addressing the role of replicability or diving into knowledge bubbles, these strategies are your trusted companions:

Begin with an Open Mind : Before taking a stance, allow yourself to explore both sides of the argument. This not only provides depth to your essay but showcases your ability to evaluate diverse perspectives.

Connect to Real-Life Situations : Anecdotes and real-world examples make your essay relatable and tangible. They serve as evidence of your claims and breathe life into abstract ideas.

Interlink Areas of Knowledge (AoK) : While the prompt may specify certain AoKs, don’t be afraid to draw connections to others if relevant. This showcases your holistic understanding and makes for an enriched argument.

Mind the WoKs (Ways of Knowing) : Whether it’s perception, emotion, reason, or language, remember that WoKs can offer unique angles and insights into your essay topic. Weave them in where appropriate.

Engage with Counterclaims : A well-rounded essay isn't just about asserting your perspective but recognizing and addressing counterarguments. This not only strengthens your position but exhibits critical thinking.

Stay Structured : While the ToK essay encourages deep thinking, remember that clarity is crucial. Use a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Organize your thoughts systematically to guide the reader seamlessly through your arguments.

Personalize Your Insights : Remember, the ToK essay is a reflection of your intellectual journey. While you'll rely on experts and sources, don’t forget to interject with your personal insights, experiences, and reflections.

Revisit and Revise : First drafts are called 'first' for a reason. Once you've penned down your initial thoughts, take a break, return with fresh eyes, and refine your essay. This iterative process can be a game-changer in elevating the quality of your piece.

Now, with these strategies in hand, you're better equipped to face the ToK essay head-on. Remember, it's as much about the journey of exploration as it is about the final piece. Enjoy the process, relish the challenges, and if ever in doubt, our earlier guide is just a click away for some quick wisdom.

Final Tips for Tackling the ToK Essay Head-On

Alright, we've traversed the vast landscape of ToK essay prompts, delved deep into some of them, discussed strategies, and even looked into multimedia resources. But before you embark on your essay-writing journey, here are a few last-minute nuggets of wisdom to carry with you:

Stay Original : While it's great to gather insights and understand the general perspective on topics, always ensure your voice shines through. Adjudicators value originality and authenticity.

Seek Feedback : It's always a good idea to have someone else, be it a peer, teacher, or mentor, take a look at your essay. They might offer a perspective or insight that you hadn't considered.

Stay Within the Word Limit : It might seem challenging, but condensing your thoughts and being concise is key. Straying far from the word limit might make your essay seem unfocused.

Relax and Trust Yourself: Believe in your capabilities. Remember, this essay is as much about the journey of exploration as it is about the end product.

The Theory of Knowledge essay can indeed seem like a mammoth task. With multiple layers of interpretation and areas of knowledge to consider, the process can be daunting. But with the right strategies, resources, and mindset, it's a challenge you can certainly overcome.

And hey, if ever the waters seem too rough, remember you're not alone. Whether you need to go back to the basics with writing ToK essay or require hands-on assistance, there's always help at hand with IB writing service .

Last edit at Aug 15 2023

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With over a decade in the educational realm, Henrik has guided countless IB students towards academic excellence. Combining a deep understanding of the IB curriculum with practical strategies, Henrik is committed to making challenging subjects approachable and essays memorable.

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ToK Essay Titles May 2023 Prompt 3

How art transcends ‘bubbles’ that exclude us..

Everyone knows (or should know) the origin story of Labbi Siffre’s song ‘Something Inside (So Strong)’. At least, you’re about to know its relevance to this Essay Title about acquiring knowledge through ‘bubbles’.

From one viewpoint, the song in itself – arguably artworks in general – expresses Siffre’s personal knowledge about the South African apartheid regime during the 1980s. Siffre also used the inspiration for the song to make sense of his own life as a gay black man having grown up in a society which at that time marginalised such voices as his.

Hence the opening lines, ‘The higher you build your barriers / The taller I become / The further you take my rights away / The faster I will run’. The ‘barriers’ symbolise the community that excludes voices. They are a mark of the sometimes palpable (apartheid), sometimes more elusive (institutional racism or homophobia) that drives human relationships. Women might label this in terms of a ‘glass ceiling’. Religious people might call it, as in the song, the ‘walls of Jericho’. Behind these walls lies the so called ‘promised land’ where the excluded people (the Jews in the biblical story) can live in harmony and peace with everyone else. Their voices can be finally heard. Their stories can become known.

From another point of view, the song takes on a shared concern. This is part of what made it into an anthem for other minority groups who felt misheard or invisible. Notice how in the early part of the song, the ‘I’ represents an individual voice, expressing a resilience; a determination that it won’t stay excluded; a desire to come face to face with the excluders. By the end, it has become the voice of a group – a community – ‘Brothers and sisters’ – which asserts its self-worth, yearning for justice and equality. The chorus in the song is an expression of the need for inclusion, presumably because only including the stories and voices of the minority can bring wholeness, a true history of a society and a robust self-knowledge or identity of a people. Presumably the appeal to ‘Brothers and sisters’ isn’t only to those people who have been excluded. It is also to some of those behind the barriers – within the bubble – who are tuned in to the destructiveness that exclusion can create.

So what is this ‘Something Inside’ that’s ‘so strong’? We can only speculate: the human spirit; the connection of love and all the other virtues associated with this; open-mindedness and tolerance… All of the things within us that help us prevail over the injustices and harm that comes from excluding others in our quest for knowledge.

The singer himself offers a clue in a rare interview: This is my song ..

ToK Essay Prescribed Titles May 2024 Prompt 4

ToK Essay Prescribed Titles May 2024 Prompt 3

ToK Essay Prescribed Titles May 2024 Prompt 1

ToK Essay Prescribed Titles May 2024 Prompt 5

ToK Essay Titles May 2023 Prompt 5

ToK Essay Titles May 2023 Prompt 1

ToK Essay Titles Nov 2021 Prompts 5 & 6: Part 4

ToK Essay Titles Nov 2021 Prompts 5 & 6: Part 3

ToK Essay Titles Nov 2021 Prompts 5 & 6: Part 2

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TOK ESSAY TITLE MAY 2023

Tok essay title 3, does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge..

Title 3 of the May 2023 TOK essay prompt is intriguing as it introduces the concept of “knowledge bubbles” or silos in which certain knowledge pieces keep echoing.

In the realm of human sciences, the essay explores whether these knowledge bubbles hinder us from taking on the responsibility of exploring new knowledge.

On one hand, knowledge in the natural sciences is often solidified and gains certainty through years of accumulated beliefs and evidence.

This raises questions about the importance of acquiring knowledge from a familiar knowledge zone where a proposition aligns with the overall set of beliefs held by people in that particular zone.

To excel in the May 2023 TOK essay and achieve a perfect score, it is recommended to begin early and seek guidance from TOK experts who can provide supervised support throughout the essay writing process.

ToK Essay #3 Bubbles video guide posted

• October 25, 2022
• Student Support , ToK Essay

The video guide to ToK Essay #3 May 23 (the essay about ‘bubbles’) has been posted to YouTube today (and is linked below).

I like this essay, I think that it comes at an appropriate time, and gives the students an opportunity to reflect on echo chambers (bubbles) in both academic and wider life. I chose to focus on the academic sphere, as I think this is a safer area for discussion than venturing into social media. I assume that some students will discuss social media, but that feels a bit risky to me.

I had lots of ‘old person’ jokes running through my head when I saw the concept of ‘bubbles’ in the essay. Fans of West Ham Utd will be delighted to see their club song has made it to the ToK Essay arena. Some people may have thought of references to Michael Jackson (again I thought it safer to steer clear of that reference). However, I did put a gentle joke in the video (an “Easter Egg”) – see if you can spot it. People from London, UK will have an advantage !

You can find the video guide for  Essay #1 linked here .

You can find the video guide for Essay #2 linked here.

If you want more detailed notes on the Knowledge Questions and arguments raised in the video then please check out the  detailed notes available here.

If you want help with your ToK Essay or Exhibition then please check out the  Student Support page linked here .

You can always contact me at [email protected],

stay Tok-tastic !, Daniel

what about when it comes to the specific field of Political Science, Daniel ? How do we exclude the discipline called history within that context? for instance, the case of political histories!

Thanks for the comment Dhaneesh. The difference between AoKs History and Human Sciences in the methodology of knowledge production. Political histories borrow a little methodology from both AoKs. As such they constitute a good example of a hybrid, and could be used as an evaluation point demonstrating the weakness in the argument that AoKs are bubbles.

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TOK DISCUSSIONS

Theory of knowledge prescribed titles

May 2023 examination session

Is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

For artists and natural scientists, which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained? Discuss with reference to the arts and the natural sciences.

Does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Do you agree that it is “astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power” (Bertrand Russell)? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.

Are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics.

To what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use? Discuss with reference to history and one other area of knowledge.

May 2023 Title #1

Is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge?

Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

“Replicability” means the quality of being able to replicate in general. And specifically, it applies to scientific experiments that need to be replicated. In simple words, a scientific experiment must be able to be done multiple times, under the same conditions, and produce the same results every single time.

As you noticed, “scientific experiment” is constantly being used. And this is a hint for you to know that if you want to choose this title for your TOK essay, you will have The Natural and Human Sciences as your AOKs. The other three remaining AOKs can be somehow chosen but without any amazing results. In the Arts, replicating an artwork makes it “fake,” “unauthentic,” and “worthless.” And if you think of the scientific process of authenticating an artwork by performing a scientific test, well, then firstly, it is science and not art anymore; secondly, that would be a one-time process, nothing to be replicated. In History, no experiments can be done, due to the nonexistence of “material;” and in Mathematics, this is out of the question.

Now that you know what your AOKs are you can think about the rest. The main keyword is “replicability,” which we already explained. However, there is another one crucial to the discussion; “necessary.” The title question asks whether replicability is “necessary” or “complementary?” Can a scientist conclude the results of an experiment after one or two times, and is the experiment being able to be replicated only an “extra mile?” Or is this a vital feature of any scientific experiment that cannot be avoided?

You know how things go in a biology lab. The results come out every time. And you are eager to want to see the same results regardless of the process and conditions. This is called “confirmation bias,” one of the biggest enemies of scientists.

You should introduce “replicability,” talk about its necessity and discuss the obstacles in the way; biases, hard-to-replicate conditions, price or scarcity of materials, and many more.

Things to avoid:

The usages of natural sciences in the process of knowledge production, or authentication in arts and history.

Over explanation of the scientific experiment rather the reason for the necessity of replicability.

Long introduction and conclusion parts.

Briefly introduce a scientific experiment and how scientists replicate it. Bring a personal example from your biology or chemistry lab experience. Find two contrasting real-life examples; one that the scientist replicated the experiment many times and produced solid scientific knowledge, and one that the scientist rushed the experiment or was biased toward their hypothesis/prediction and as a result, produced insufficient knowledge, one in human sciences and one in natural sciences (or if you have time and motivation, two for each). And compare those experiments and conclude that replicability is “necessary” (crucial) in natural sciences, and necessary but harder to achieve in human sciences.

May 2022 Title #2

Artists “explain” through expression, and natural scientists “explain” through words, charts, diagrams, etc. What the title question actually asks is not whether something can be explained or not, but the methods of explanation.

In the theme of “knowledge and language,” we learn that all ways of communication can be considered language, which is also used to explain. Artists “explain” their feelings, emotions, concepts, social issues, and many more concepts in their artworks. Song lyrics, as a form of literature, explain what artists went through during a period of their life. A painting explains beauty, horror, dignity, or poverty. Installations mostly explain the perception of space, and performance art tries to picture a social phenomenon. All these are artists’ attempts to “explain” something that cannot (easily) be explained through words, charts, numbers, or in any other “scientific” way. Therefore, artists choose to “express” rather than “explain.”

On the other than, scientists who are not dealing with creativity, choose more direct and evidential ways of communication. They try to bring facts and put them in numeral, statistical, and visual representations to “explain” a phenomenon.

And sometimes, a concept cannot be explained in any way, like love, faith, and emotional pain. This is artists’ call for action in knowledge production. In your personal life, many times you tried to explain a situation by hand gesture instead of talking. In team sports and army missions, the team leader explains the tactics or situation by gestures, as they cannot communicate with words.

Another big difference between artists’ and scientists’ ways of communication is in the consumption of knowledge. Artworks are usually open to interpretation. The audience understands the art in different ways based on how they interpret the “explanation” of the artist. Contrary to that, the results of scientists’ works, which are scientific publications, are rarely open to interpretations, at least not by ordinary people.

Discussing the arts and the natural sciences instead of artists and scientists. (Do not discuss the areas of knowledge. Discuss the expert knowers in these AOKs, who are artists and scientists.)

Over explanation of the story behind an artwork or a scientific process. (Focus your discussion on how the artist or the scientist “explained” in expressive or evidential ways.)

Introduce the “explained” and “unexplainable.” Bring a personal example from your life when you expressed with (or without) words, and compare it with the time you wrote a long explanation for a physics question. Find one real-life example from the arts, where the artistic expression was their way of explaining. And then find a real-life example in science, where the scientist extensively explains a phenomenon or a solution to a problem. If you have time and enthusiasm, you can bring two RLEs for each area of knowledge. In the end, conclude, by comparing your RLEs, that artists tend to find the “unexplained” more important, and for scientists, “explainables” are more important.

May 2023 Title #3

The answer is, “of course, it does.” However, this is not enough for a TOK essay.

In the core theme of “knowledge and the knower,” we learn about filter bubbles as one of the drawbacks of the Internet. But, what are filter “bubbles?”

Nowadays, the majority of people acquire knowledge (or better say information) from social media and internet websites. Social media distribute knowledge based on their algorithms to their subscribers. However, this distribution is only based on what the subscriber “likes” or what they might like. Imagine offering a range of snacks to a group of kids. Each kid chooses one; candy, snack bar, dried fruits, gummy bears, or chips. You continue giving each kid only the type of candy that they initially chose. In this way, they stay unaware of other snacks, and each kid continues to “believe” that his/her type of snack exists. Kids live in their own “snack bubble.”

The same thing happens when social media algorithms filter the information (knowledge) that we consume and keep us unaware of other things that happen in the world. You should also know that these “bubbles” are not a new phenomenon. For millennia rulers, governments, and people themselves kept individuals in information/knowledge bubbles for a variety of purposes.

Within the area of knowledge of history, the knower remains unaware of events and perspectives outside their “bubble.” They may even develop a misunderstanding about the scope of their history and culture, concluding that their culture is the most important or dominant one.

In The Human Sciences, the same bubble is formed around the knowledge of economics, anthropology, and human behavior.

In The Natural Sciences, filter bubbles make the person believe that the entire world suffers or deals with a pandemic the same way as their country (or their bubble).

Within The Arts, a knower inside a bubble shares the same values for artistic beauty without knowing that there are varieties of other values among other nations or groups.

And in Mathematics, you may think that all the advancements in this area of knowledge were the results of “your” mathematicians.

Gender equality, gender identity, religion, and diversity are the most common and controversial issues these days. Filter bubbles force an individual to believe that “everyone” on earth shares the same values and perspectives on a topic as theirs, and whoever thinks otherwise is “wrong” and should be “corrected” or “silenced.”

Confirmation bias is the basis for designing these bubbles. When “acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices” (perspectives) “are excluded,” the knower acquires “selective knowledge” that feeds their confirmation bias and continue to search for more information that they find appropriate.

This way of knowledge acquisition creates self-serving bias. The knower only accepts the knowledge in their favor and rejects any opposing view, as they feel entitled to their points of view.

Attribution bias is another byproduct of “bubbles.” Assumptions, judgments, and labeling are the results of such bias that make the person attributes a presumed characteristic to a member of a group based on their mere association with that group.

You can also study more about conformity bias, gender bias, and response bias (social-desirability bias) to have a better understating of the effects of bubbles on research in different areas of knowledge.

Focusing on knowledge production. (You may find several examples of bubbles and biases in research studies. However, these examples can be discussed under the production of knowledge and not knowledge acquisition.)

Over explanation of a bubble instead of how the bubble affects our acquisition of knowledge.

Taking a side in your discussion pro or against a point of view. (Your language for your arguments should be as neutral as possible and shows your awareness of different points of view.)

Introduce and explain bubbles and how they form during our acquisition of knowledge (mostly by social media). Continue to briefly explain how bubbles affect our knowledge acquisition and perspectives. Choose a discipline from human sciences, and natural sciences or arts. History and mathematics can also be chosen as AOKs; however, developing arguments in these areas of knowledge needs vast knowledge and interest to masterfully discuss your real-life examples. Find one RLE for each AOK (or two for each if you have time and interest) and discuss “how” bubbles affected the way the knowers acquired knowledge. Conclude your essay by comparing real-life examples and conclude that while “it matters” if we acquire knowledge inside bubbles, the effects and consequences are different (less or more severe) in different areas of knowledge.

May 2023 Title #4

“We know very little, and yet it is astonishing that we know so much, and still more astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power,” is the complete quote.

Bertrand Russel was astonished by the contradictory nature of human knowledge and the disproportionate power that our little knowledge brings us. The title question, however, is focused on astonishment. Therefore, I must warn you from the beginning not to think about assessing the “correctness” of Russell’s perspective on knowledge. You may have different points of view on knowledge, power, and their relationship. But, I suggest you keep them to yourself.

It might be a stupid question to ask from a generation that was born into technology, which is one of the main symbols of the power of knowledge. Is it astonishing to you? Can anything astonish you? What do you find astonishing when it comes to human achievements? This is the question that guides you write your TOK essay.

The Natural Sciences is already chosen as one of the AOKs, and the reason is obvious; no other area of knowledge demonstrates the power of human knowledge like this one. It also makes your job easier. Based on the assumption you are astonished by human sciences (and all its glory), you can find another area of knowledge that is less, or more, astonishing and compare it with the first one.

Writing a TOK essay on this prescribed title is less challenging but personal. Because different people are amazed by different things and to different degrees. And as you will explore whether this disproportionate power comes from little knowledge, and the fact that we know a lot, yet still very little astonishes you or not, you have the right only to talk on your behalf; not any group or the entire human race. Therefore, it is a personal matter.

Some may suggest describing the power of knowledge and different “good” and “bad” applications of such power. It is highly recommended that you stick to the fact that knowledge gives us power and only focus on the level of fascination with such power.

Analyzing the quote. (Just accept the quote as true and discuss whether you can relate to it.)

Discussing in general, on behalf of your generation, or the human race.

Discussing Bertrand Russell’s background or his philosophy. (Stick to the point.)

Over explanation of technical details of a real-life example.

Start by directly talking about your relation to the quote. Choose your approach in choosing the second AOK; more or less astonishing. Find one real-life example for each AOK (or two for each if you have time and interest) that you really find interesting and mesmerizes you about how humanity could achieve such power (advancements). Conclude, based on your preference, whether you find these advancements astonishing. If so, which area of knowledge has been more successful? And if you find all the power that knowledge gives you “normal,” then explain the reason.

May 2023 Title #5

Are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge?

Discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics.

When you see the adverb “always” in a title question, you should know that’s the first keyword. And the closest explanatory word is most probably the second one.

You must focus your discussions on whether something is always helpful or not. Therefore, discussing that “something” takes you off the path and you won’t receive a high mark.

What are “visual representations?” In the human sciences and mathematics, as the title demands, visual representations are images, charts, diagrams, graphs, shapes, lines, etc. These representations complement the knowledge that is being communicated. Are they “always” helpful in the communication of knowledge? This is the questions you should explore.

You can find real-life examples that support the (always) usefulness of visual representations in these two areas of knowledge. Or contrasting RLEs that show they are “sometimes” (or most of the time) useful. You do not want to bring all evidence against the usefulness of visual representations in the communication of knowledge because that is not true.

Using these representations has different degrees of importance in different disciplines of human sciences (whichever you are interested in). In psychology, usually, brain illustrations are used to help the audience understand how the brain functions. In social sciences, charts and graphs are commonly used as visual representations for the results of statistics and surveys alongside diagrams.

In economics, visual representation is a crucial element in the communication of knowledge. You can find many more examples in other disciplines of human sciences. In mathematics, most of the time, mathematicians only communicate knowledge through numbers, especially in pure mathematics. However, in applied mathematics images and diagrams are often used. Remember, some branches of applied mathematics are cross-disciplinary and enter the realm of human sciences, like mathematical finance, probability, risk, and statistics.

Discussing visual representations in other areas of knowledge; history, the arts, and the natural sciences. (Focus your discussion only on the human sciences and mathematics.)

Over explaining the method of communication of knowledge instead of its usefulness.

Introduce your discussion by explaining/defining visual representation, focused on the demanded areas of knowledge. Find one RLE for each AOK (and two if you have time and interest for each) and explore the helpfulness of visual representations in the communication of knowledge. It is better for one of your RLEs to “prove” the helpfulness of these representations and the other to show that they are a necessity. If you intend to find four real-life examples (two for each AOK), you can use a combination of examples with or without visual representations to guide your discussion toward one area of knowledge. Conclude based on your chosen real-life examples, that visual representations are “always” helpful in one AOK and not “always” necessary in the other. Or it is “always” helpful in both areas of knowledge. This is your essay, after all, and you can decide on the degree of the helpfulness of these representations in the communication of knowledge in the AOKs of the human sciences and mathematics.

May 2023 Title #6

To what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use?

Discuss with reference to history and one other area of knowledge.

Many would immediately jump into the comparison between “methodology” and “method.” Don’t do that!

One of the four elements of the TOK knowledge framework is “methods and tools.” The IB guide describes this element, “This element focuses on exploring the methods, tools and practices that we use to produce knowledge… as well as the methodologies employed by formal disciplines.” As you can see, methods and methodologies are covered by this element of the knowledge framework. It means that although there are differences between the method and the methodology that you should be aware of, and you must explore the methodologies of your real-life examples, not the methods, there is no need to explain the differences in your essay.

One of the areas of knowledge is already determined; history. A historian may interview a source as a “method” of gathering evidence. Whether the historian should interview or not is a “methodology.” Basically, in any area of knowledge, there are many methods and tools for research. Should the expert use these methods or not, or which combination of methods is better, is the methodology the expert uses to produce knowledge. Again, you do not need to explain this difference. You should only know the difference not to make a mistake and to focus your discussion on exploring the methodology used in any real-life example.

For this prescribed title, you can choose any of the other four AOKs alongside history. This is an advantage that students can choose (at least one AOK) based on their interests. Therefore, choose the area of knowledge you know well and have mastered discussing.

You intend to write your TOK essay. Which prescribed title should you choose? You can ask your TOK teacher to assign a title to you. You can brainstorm with your classmate to choose the easiest title. You can read the explanations and suggestions on the TOK website and forums. You can analyze each title yourself. Or you can choose a title randomly. These are different methods. Which methods you choose is your methodology. This is an oversimplified example for you to understand the difference between a method and methodology.

In the human sciences, surveys, interviews, analyzing past papers, observations (and many more) are research methods. Applied research, problem-oriented research, problem-solving research, qualitative research, etc., are the methodologies human scientists use. Each of these methodologies includes a combination of methods to reach the best results.

In the natural sciences, the scientific method is “the methodology;” however, scientists devise their methodologies mostly in the experiment stage of the scientific method. A scientist chooses how to perform an experiment. For example, in biology, experimental biology is opposed to theoretical biology; manipulate and observe the experiment or use mathematical modeling. There are several other methodologies that scientists use in natural sciences that you learn in your subject courses, or you can find out about them with some research.

In the arts, examining the techniques and tools that the artist use in comparison with the movement that they follow is an example of choosing different methodologies in knowledge production in arts.

In mathematics, mathematicians may choose different approaches to solve a problem; verbally, graphically, by example, etc.

Defining and comparing methods and methodologies.

Over explaining the methodology used in knowledge production. (Mention the methodology and explore “how” the usage of that methodology helped the expert produce knowledge.)

Focusing on the methods and tools, instead of the methodology.

Exploring cross-discipline studies between two (or more) areas of knowledge.

Introduce your approach to writing your TOK essay and bring a personal example (of your methodology) in studying chemistry, biology, history, etc. Choose the second AOK. Find one RLE for each AOK (and two for each if you have time and interest). Mention the methodology that the expert used in producing knowledge in that example. Explore and explain how they reached the results based on their chosen methodology. Analyze the pros and cons of using that methodology. (If possible) Anticipate what would have happened if they had chosen a different methodology. Conclude your essay by comparing different methodologies in your examples, and express “to what extent” methodologies affect the knowledge that is produced. In some areas of knowledge, methodologies do not make a big difference in the produced knowledge, and in some AOKs different methodologies result in different (or contrasting) results.

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Theory of Knowledge Resource Space: TOK Essay Planning

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2022 Titles

1. Is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge? Discuss with reference to  two areas of knowledge.

2. For artists and natural scientists, which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained? Discuss with reference to  the arts and the natural sciences.

3. Does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded? Discuss with reference to  two areas of knowledge.

4. Do you agree that it is “astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power” (Bertrand Russell)? Discuss with reference to the  natural sciences and one other area  of knowledge.

5. Are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the  human sciences and mathematics.

6. To what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use? Discuss with reference to  history and one other area of knowledge.

Unpacking the prescribed Titles

General Resources for Examples/Ideas

The world’s leading publisher of research-based news and analysis, but easy to read.

PBS show that examines the connections between pop culture, technology and art.

Every TED-Ed Animation represents a creative collaboration between experts. Such experts may include educators, designers, animators, screenwriters, directors, science writers, historians, journalists and editors.

Similar to TED talks, but shorter. Usually more focused on a specific idea.

We ask the big questions and find the freshest, most original answers, provided by leading thinkers on science, philosophy, society and the arts

We expose people to information and ideas from all sides of the political spectrum so they can better understand the world

Excellent, thoughtful and nuanced. It's like TOK every day. Use the Search box and the drop down menu to search by subject.

counter arguments

Subsidiary Knowledge

Typical TOK Essay Mistakes

Psychology Vs TOK

Conclusions

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Oxford Education Blog

The latest news and views on education from oxford university press., thinking beyond the knowledge bubbles.

Three reporters ran what they called an “experiment” in news consumption during the recent American election. Although in TOK we might reserve the term “experiment” for a foray into knowledge constructed more rigorously, they did gather some gripping stories of the power of filters in social media to reinforce what people believe already.  As we know, in the intuitive cognitive bias known as confirmation bias , we are inclined to accept what is in harmony with our thinking and reject what jars with it, without even being conscious that we’re doing so. OK. Got it. This isn’t new. But would we expect our own biases to affect the technology you use to get access to information? Isn’t the internet neutral, just the product of an objective machine?

Contradictory communities: versions of the world

Recognition of the bias built into algorithms on the web is not, of course, Breaking News. Indeed, the term “filter bubble” seems to have worked its way into our language. Yet our students, digital natives though they be, may never have thought critically about what the web offers them as they take their information and perspectives from it. Clair Cain Miller, writing in the New York Times in July 2015 , argues that “algorithms discriminate”:

There is a widespread belief that software and algorithms that rely on data are objective. But software is not free of human influence. Algorithms are written and maintained by people, and machine learning algorithms adjust what they do based on people’s behavior. As a result, say researchers in computer science, ethics and law, algorithms can  reinforce human prejudice s.

It is certainly useful to have google do the sifting for us to prioritize the sorts of articles we like to read, as our past preferences influence our future options. Yet the bubbles we are building around ourselves, as contrary perspectives and unsought topics increasingly fall away, carry serious implications. For instance, right after the Brexit referendum in the UK, British internet activist Tom Steinberg posted the following urgent message on Facebook as he tried to burst out of his own bubble of exchange of news and views:

I am actively searching through Facebook for people celebrating the Brexit leave victory, but the filter bubble is SO strong, and extends SO far into things like Facebook’s custom search that I can’t find anyone who is happy *despite the fact that over half the country is clearly jubilant today* and despite the fact that I’m *actively* looking to hear what they are saying.

This echo-chamber problem is now SO severe and SO chronic that I can only beg any friends I have who actually work for Facebook and other major social media and technology to urgently tell their leaders that to not act on this problem now is tantamount to actively supporting and funding the tearing apart of the fabric of our societies. Just because they aren’t like anarchists or terrorists – they’re not doing the tearing apart on purpose – is no excuse – the effect is the same, we’re getting countries where one half just doesn’t know anything at all about the other.

It’s in the power of people like Mark Zuckerberg to do something about this, if they’re strong enough and wise enough to swap a little shareholder value for the welfare of whole nations, and the world as a whole.

Should TOK bother with bubbles?

So what can we do about it? Is this a problem relevant to the Theory of Knowledge course? I’d say, most definitely, YES.

First, understanding the role of perspectives in knowledge is central in three of the five TOK course aims, as given in the IB Theory of Knowledge Guide.  In our course, we aim that students will:

• develop an awareness of how individuals and communities construct knowledge and how this is critically examined
• develop an interest in the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives and an awareness of personal and ideological assumptions
• critically reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions, leading to more thoughtful, responsible and purposeful lives

Second, the concept of truth still has some meaning in Theory of Knowledge as an ideal and a goal, even if the word and the concept are a bit shop-worn in an era that has been repeatedly called “post-truth” in the media. Students benefit from looking closely at how the word is flung about, and seeing what’s discarded from knowledge if “true” is accepted to mean “true-for-me”. As Katharine Viner comments in “How technology disrupted the truth” ,

Twenty-five years after the first website went online, it is clear that we are living through a period of dizzying transition. For 500 years after Gutenberg, the dominant form of information was the printed page: knowledge was primarily delivered in a fixed format, one that encouraged readers to believe in stable and settled truths.

Now, we are caught in a series of confusing battles between opposing forces: between truth and falsehood, fact and rumour, kindness and cruelty; between the few and the many, the connected and the alienated; between the open platform of the web as its architects envisioned it and the gated enclosures of Facebook and other social networks; between an informed public and a misguided mob.

What is common to these struggles – and what makes their resolution an urgent matter – is that they all involve the diminishing status of truth. This does not mean that there are no truths. It simply means, as this year has made very clear, that we cannot agree on what those truths are, and when there is no consensus about the truth and no way to achieve it, chaos soon follows.

Increasingly, what counts as a fact is merely a view that someone feels to be true – and technology has made it very easy for these “facts” to circulate with a speed and reach that was unimaginable in the Gutenberg era (or even a decade ago).

Students benefit, I’d say, from recognizing that there are different approaches to the search for truth:

• an approach based on pragmatism that accepts what “works” (works for whom?),
• an approach based on coherence that depends on the internal harmony of information and interpretations (bubbles of agreement, no contradiction allowed!), and
• an approach based on correspondence between knowledge claims and the world.

The approach through correspondence may be the only way to test knowledge claims with evidence and try to get outside the bubble-effect of an approach based on internal coherence, as people within bubbles agree with each other and circulate only information that is in accord with their views.

Third, TOK has to tackle the bubble-effect – of both technology and our minds — if it is to teach critical evaluation of knowledge claims at all. HOW do we take the approach of finding the best justifications – the best evidence, the best reasoning – for factual claims? HOW do we find the best justifications – the best arguments, the most thoughtful understanding – for claims of values? It’s not easy if the information most readily accessible is inaccurate, pre-selected, or heavily interpreted with emotions and values. Students need to be given awareness and taught some skills.

We can do it

As we teach how ways of knowing work, we can engage students in reflection and critique on their use and interaction, stressing how to use them critically ourselves and to recognize their critical use by others in society and in areas of knowledge.  As we deal with the concept of “shared knowledge”, we can encourage them to recognize how knowledge is shared – and see the pitfalls in the flow of knowledge. I consider it essential that students gain an understanding of how we use intuition and reasoning, for instance, and how emotion affects sense perception, language and memory.  It is very effective to tie the ways of knowing to recognition of common errors – common fallacies and cognitive biases.

As we teach how areas of knowledge work, we are reinforcing every basic critical skill. We are introducing students to ideas of methodology – or in other words, of the expectations within each area of knowledge for the best practices and procedures of thinking critically. We are introducing ideas of conscientiously making knowledge claims that are true (to the best of our knowledge!), being self-critical, sharing knowledge in a way that is open to group scrutiny, and being willing at least to try to break out of interpretive bubbles to understand an alternative way of thinking.

In our efforts, we have the cooperation of our colleagues as they, in their own classrooms, are sharing our goals of making students understand and appreciate how knowledge is constructed. As we deal with large overview concepts of how knowledge is constructed in their areas, they are tackling the close-up applied topics of research and findings, methods and results. They are dealing, in different ways according to their fields, with topics of methodological care and responsibility. Can we encourage our students to apply some of this to their everyday google searches and consumption of social media and news?

As teachers, we are all in the position to help students deal with the information bubbles that surround them in social media, and to engage with two topics whose knowledge questions are urgent to explore:

perspectives : How do we recognize, understand, and evaluate different perspectives as we consider their influence on knowledge?

sources: How do we know what sources of information to accept as most reliable on particular topics?  On what bases are organizations, publications, or individuals treated as expert sources?

These are central knowledge questions for both areas of knowledge and everyday knowledge of the wider world.

Without importing into our classrooms the strident antagonism of conflicting perspectives, can we make our students aware of the extent to which people who share a community can be living, in their minds, in mutually contradictory versions of it? Can we alert them to the need to check out the biases and bounds of their own sources of knowledge and encourage them to be sympathetic to others who, like themselves, are believing what they are told by sources they’ve accepted as reliable? I believe, to a significant extent, we can.

Looking for more thought-provoking resources to support your TOK teaching? Subscribe today

Claire Cain Miller, “When Algorithms Discriminate”, New York Times. July 10, 2015.  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/10/upshot/when-algorithms-discriminate.html?emc=edit_th_20150710&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=58394318&_r=1&abt=0002&abg=1

Katharine Viner, “How Technology Disrupted the Truth”, The Guardian. July 12, 2016.  https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jul/12/how-technology-disrupted-the-truth

Julia Carrie Wong, Sam Levin and Olivia Solon, “Bursting the Facebook bubble: we asked voters on the left and right to swap feeds”, The Guardian. November 16, 2016.  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/16/facebook-bias-bubble-us-election-conservative-liberal-news-feed

Images (with thanks) from Creative Commons:  https://pixabay.com/

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May 2023 TOK essay prescribed title #3 – key terms

Published by author on september 25, 2022 september 25, 2022.

Once you get the set of prescribed titles for your cohort, the first step is going through each one and analyzing the key terms.

3. Does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge.

“ Does it matter ” – Make sure that your essay clearly answers this question.  Your investigation of different AOKs and different specific examples throughout your answer may lead to multiple answers to the question which is perfectly fine.  Your essay does not have to have one definitive answer to this question – in fact an essay that has one definitive answer to this question is likely flawed.

“ Acquisition of knowledge ” – This phrase shows up quite frequently in TOK essay prescribed titles.  (FYI another phrase that shows up often is “production of knowledge”).  Consider how knowledge is acquired in different AOKs and in different specific examples.

“ bubbles ” – Consider different ways that different AOKs can operate in “bubbles” and exclude “some information and voices.”  For example, some traditional arts may try and set up barriers to prevent the traditional art from changing.  This can act in a positive way and the knowledge of traditional art may be passed on relatively unchanged.  From a negative point of view though, a traditional art that sets up barriers may prevent it from evolving along with other aspects of culture and it may be viewed as stagnant and out of date.

In other examples, criminology (the human sciences) has been making more use of mathematics and statistics and has been trying to include more information and ideas.  More and more police forces are using mathematical / statistical models to learn more about crime to better prevent and solve crimes.

“ some information and voices are excluded ” – If you are considering May 2023 TOK Prescribed Titles #3 for your TOK essay may sure to examine a number of relevant specific examples that show how where “some information and voices are excluded.” You will need examples that show both that it matters and does not matter if the information and voices are excluded.

May 2023 TOK Prescribed Titles #3 and #1 are the only two where students have freedom to choose any two areas of knowledge.

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May 2023 Prescribed Title #1

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Privacy Overview

Bubbles: 2023 TOK Essay Title 3 TOK Talk

In this episode, I talked to Ian Galley (IBDP English Language & Literature) Nicole Mamphey (Science and Applied Ethics) about TOK Essay Title 3: Does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge. We had a rich discussion about “bubbles'' as they exist in social media networks and internet platforms as well as within academia, algorithms, and how this contributes to, enhances and distorts our bubbles. We also discussed many of the real world consequences (why it matters!) that what we’re learning may occur in these bubbles. We discussed relevant ideas including retracted findings of psychology and vaccination studies, bubbles in comedy and how it fits with the Benign Violation Theory, perspectives and the Soldier vs. Scout Mindset by Julia Galef, Spiral of Silence Theory and the social tendency to reinforce bubbles and silences descending voices, and the Metaverse. We discuss the difference between a community and a bubble: which one is more open to other ideas? How do they overlap? We unpack and explore: Does it matter (to who? for what?) Does it matter to our acquisition of knowledge? Does it matter to the voices that are excluded? We challenge the notion that science is objective, and discuss how even in the sciences we want to reinforce what fits our own perspective and beliefs. We also begin to discuss voices that are excluded: silenced voices - why this matters! Relevant links to books and movies and other examples discussed can be found on www.TOKTalk.org Guests: Ian Galley, Nicole Mamphey

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M23 TOK Essay #3

Hi all did anyone choose title #3 “Does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded?" we can discuss it together for arguments and examples. Cheers