Theory of Knowledge

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a high school epistemology course taken by all International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme students. The course discusses how the student is able to know something. The student is described as a "knower" who attempts to find knowledge, whereas knowledge is defined as a "justifiable true belief," often using K=JTB.

Related Topics:
High school - Epistemology - International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

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The course uses the four Ways of Knowing (WOK): perception, emotion, reason, and language. Also used are the following six Areas of Knowledge, which are put here in the form of a spectrum, the two ends of which are labelled "objective" and "subjective", from left to right respectively: mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, ethics, history, and the arts.

Related Topics:
Perception - Emotion - Reason - Language - Mathematics - Natural sciences - Social sciences - Ethics - History - Art

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The course is formulated and centered around one main question: How do you know? One is supposed to use the Ways of Knowing and the Areas of Knowledge to discuss how one perceives knowledge and how reliable can it be. Questions that may be discussed may include examples such as "How do you know this person is beautiful?" or "How do you know you are in love?"

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At the completion of the course, students give an oral presentation of about 10 minutes and write a paper from 1200 to 1600 words in length.

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TOK is a required course for students attempting the IB Diploma Programme, and an oustanding final score may help the student receive three extra points towards their diploma.

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