TOK Essay Outline

Outline 1:

Thesis: While looking at natural sciences and human sciences we can see that that group verification is essential in the creation of knowledge.

Knowledge Questions: 1. To what extent extent is group group verificat verification ion crucial crucial in knowledge knowledge producti production? on? 2. ow relia!le relia!le is is group verifi verification cation in the product production ion of knowled knowledge? ge? ". To what extent is group group verificati verification on trustwor trustworth#? th#? $. To what extent extent is is informati information on presented presented !# others relia!le? relia!le?

%laims: 1. &n the natural natural sciences sciences'' group verific verification ation is crucial crucial in the creation creation of knowle knowledge dge as scientific theories re(uire peer review. 

The earl# stages of the scientific method re(uire imaginative and intuitive  processes' for example a )hunch* a!out a h#pothesis. +ntil the theor# has !een  peer reviewed and verified !# others it cannot !e treated as a proper theor#. theor#.

2. &n the human human sciences' sciences' a group group is needed needed to make knowledge knowledge possi!l possi!lee as studies studies have to to  !e shared and repeated to enhance the significance and precision of the knowledge created. 

When man# researchers are performing the same stud# with same varia!les' when the# share their findings and consult one another the# can create a significant and accurate conclusion.

,reas of Knowledge: 1. -atu -atura rall ci cien ence cess 2. uma uman n cie cienc nces es

/ersonal 0xamples: 1. &n m# !iolog# !iolog# and chemistr chemistr# # class we often often get the the opportunit# opportunit# to to work on la!s la!s which we we could approach individuall# or as a group. & prefer working independentl# independentl# and chose to work on m# la! alone. ,fter creating m# h#pothesis for m# la!' & !ecame a little worried worried

m# predictions ma# have not !een ver# accurate. o' & asked some of m# classmates for help and received their input and corrections. This group interaction and verification allowed me to expand m# personal knowledge and create knowledge that was accurate. Without this group interaction and shared knowledge experience' & would have not !een a!le to create relia!le knowledge. This personal example showed me that in m# ever#da# life without a group consultation it is extremel# difficult to create knowledge. 2. ecentl#' in !iolog# class we were asked to perform a la! with potatoes involving osmolarit#. We performed this la! in groups' to get accurate results it was not enough to onl# use the data from our own group. o' all the groups were asked to input their data in a shared folder. &n this case sharing our knowledge with others and helping them confirm their data helped us create knowledge that was more precise and accurate.

eal ife 0xamples: 1. The 3oppler 0ffect is the change in fre(uenc# or wavelength of a wave for an o!server moving relative to its source. &t is a theor# that is often used in ph#sics. 

This theor# was first proposed !# ,ustrian ph#sicist %hristian 3oppler in 14$2. is h#pothesis was then tested !# a series of other ph#sicist including 5u#s 5allot' ippol#te 6i7eau and 8ohn cott ussell.

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This scientific theor# was created !# 3oppler' although his personal knowledge' imagination and intuition is what created this theor#. &t !ecame a valid theor# onl# after a series of other ph#sicist reviewed and approved his theor#.

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This  proves that although intuition and imagination are re(uired in the  !eginning process of the creation knowledge' onl# after the verification of a group these theories presented !ecome proper knowledge.

2.

&n ps#cholog#' it is crucial for studies to !e repeated and findings to !e shared' to determine a precise outcome for the stud#. The 9ilgram experiment was a stud# to which tested the !ehaviour of o!edience to authorit#. 

The experiment was first carried out !# tanle# 9ilgram in 1;". e discovered that when receiving instructions from a person of higher authorit# there is higher o!edience.

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To verif# his results this stud# was replicated man# times with different sample groups. These replicated studies also had the same results as the original stud#.

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These replicated studies are wh# toda# we know that humans are more o!edient to authorit#. This group verification was necessar# !ecause without it the results of the 9ilgram stud# would have
%ounterclaims: 1. &n the natural sciences' group verification is not crucial in the creation of knowledge as not all scientific theories re(uire peer review. 6or example' when looking at evolution we see man# theories !oth !iological and religious. &t is ver# hard to peer review religious theories !ecause it is difficult to prove and thus group verification cannot !e of help here. 2. &n the human sciences' a group is not needed to make knowledge possi!le as it is not  possi!le to share and replicate all studies. 6or example' ever# ps#chological stud# will have an anomal#' and the data found in the first stud# ma# have mixed results in the replicated studies' this does not necessaril# mean that knowledge was not created it could  
Outline 2:

Thesis: While looking at the arts and histor# we can see that group verification is not necessar# in the creation of knowledge.

Knowledge Questions: 1. ow do we know that unverified knowledge is still knowledge? 2. ow relia!le is shared knowledge than personal knowledge? ". To what extent does the intuition of others overpower our own intuition? $. To what extent is verified knowledge relia!le?

%laims:

1. &n the arts' group verification is not needed in the creation of knowledge as the opinions of others do not authenticate art forms and onl# the opinion of the artist is of concern. 

&n the art world' although there are man# opinions from critics and the fashion world a!out the art piece onl# the message conve#ed !# the artist himself=herself are of interest. ,rt has man# interpretations and messages which means it can not  !e verified !# a group. &t is a personal connection !etween the art work and the artist.

2. &n histor#' group verification is not needed in the creation of knowledge !ecause with a group to verif#' knowledge is often held !ack from discoveries. 

To generate new knowledge' it is essential that #ou have some innovation which re(uires #ou to restrain #ourself from shared knowledge. When a group is present to verif# knowledge' the# often hold !ack #our knowledge and do not allow #ou to use #our innovation.

,reas of Knowledge: 1. The ,rts 2. istor#

/ersonal 0xamples: 1. When & was in grade 4' in art class we had to individuall# make a paining that would !e displa#ed in class. & was not a ver# great artist !ut & reall# ent sa# that & am an extremel# religious person. 5ut & do have some !eliefs and & know these to !e true. This knowledge is created

through personal connection and feeling and !ecause of m# faith. ere group verification would not prove useful !ecause a group can not change m# mind a!out the  !eliefs & have in m# religion. This t#pe of knowledge is created through personal connection and faith' thus making group verification unnecessar#.

eal ife 0xamples: 1. 5eethoven>s ninth s#mphon# is universall# acclaimed and one of the most fre(uentl#  pla#ed pieces in the world. 

When 5eethoven composed this piece' he was profoundl# deaf.

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ince' he was deaf this shows that he relied less on group verification as he was more dependent on his memor# to guide him in this piece

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This example shows that knowledge is possi!le even though group verification did not pla# a crucial role in the creation of this piece.

2. ,lan 9athison Turing was an 0nglish computer scientist' mathematician' logician' cr#ptanal#st and theoretical !iologist. e created a machine during World War && that cracked the enigma code. 

Turing was placed along highl# skilled men to crack the -a7i code.

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When he shared his idea a!out the machine he did not get the support of the other men as well the e(uipment and mone# needed. The other men group@ verified his idea as unrealistic.

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5ut Turing was a!le to create the machine and crack the code when the other men were not close to finding a solution.

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This example shows that group verification onl# hinders the knowledge discoveries and it is not an essential part of k nowledge creation.

%ounterclaims: 1. &n the arts' group verification is needed in the creation of knowledge as the opinions of others do authenticate art forms and the opinion of the artist is not the onl# opinion of concern. %ritics are highl# valued in the art world and ever#one has the a!ilit# to do art which does not mean that ever#one is necessaril# creating knowledge. That is wh# critics are necessar# to verif# the artwork and prove that it is creating knowledge.

2. &n histor#' group verification is needed in the creation of knowledge !ecause with a group to verif#' knowledge is often discovered. &n histor#' knowledge is often enhanced due to group verification !ecause #ou are stepping !e#ond #our !orders and getting input from others which helps enhance #our own personal knowledge. Thus' when a group is  present to verif# #our work and findings it often leads to greater success and innovation.

Outline 3:

Thesis: While looking at religion and the arts we can see that group verification creates !iased knowledge.

Knowledge Questions: 1. To what extent does societ# affect our perspective? 2. ow do we know that shared knowledge is not !iased? ". To what extent is verified knowledge a reflection of the true !eliefs of the group verif#ing the knowledge? $. ow do we know that verified knowledge is not the !iased assumptions of a group?

%laims: 1. &n religion' due to shared knowledge and group verification it leads to a !iased assumption of certain groups of people. 

&n man# cases' due to group verification in a set of close minded people' it often leads to !iased and false assumptions of a certain group.

2. &n the arts' due to the opinions of certain people in groups an artist does not get the recognition he deserves for his artwork due to the !iased opinions of a few individuals. 

,rt is an ,AK that is highl# dependent on intuition and imagination. &n art' onl# the artist has the a!ilit# to completel# portra# his opinions and when others such as critics intervene it results in a !ias opinion of the artwork.

,reas of Knowledge:

1. eligion 2. The ,rts

/ersonal 0xamples: 1. When & visit m# cousins that do not live in %anada over the summer the# alwa#s ask me if & love maple s#rup. /ersonall#' & am not a huge fan of maple s#rup !ecause it is too sweet !ut when & sa# this m# cousins' the# do not !elieve me. The# sa# that & am %anadian and therefore & must love maple s#rup. These t#pes of !iased assumptions are a cause of group verification as it creates a !iased opinion of %anadians and restrains us from new discoveries. 2. , difficult# me and man# people in the world face toda# is racism. 5eing a person of colour & often face situations that discriminate against me which & find in m# da# to da# life and in the media. This t#pe of discrimination is a product of group verification. ,s a group of !elieved certain characteristics are associated with certain ethnicities the# created a !ias as this knowledge was onl# !ased on their perspective. This example shows that often with group verification we find our selves with !iased knowledge. eal ife 0xamples: 1. , fourteenB#earBold teenager !# the name of ,hmed 9ohamed was suspended from school and arrested !ecause he had !rought a homemade clock from school which resem!led a !om!. 3ue to shared knowledge from a closeBminded group of people' it has !ecome a stereot#pe that 9uslims ma# !e threats to our safet# and islamopho!ia has  !ecome a ma
,ndrew W#eth received love and admiration from the general pu!lic !ut was not ver# much liked !# critics.

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&n this case' the work of 9r. W#eth was loved !# the pu!lic !ut !ecause of the  !ias opinions of certain art critics he was not a!le the to get recognition he deserved. ere !ecause of group verification and the !ias opinions involved in the group this knowledge was not a!le to !e widel# known !# others.

%ounterclaims: 1. &n religion' due to shared knowledge and group verification !iased assumptions of certain groups of people does not alwa#s occur. Eroup verification is not the onl# wa# that the  !ias exists in religion. There are man# more factors to this such as personal !eliefs and histor#. o' the verification done !# a group cannot !e the sole cause of !ias as other greater factors affect this. 2. &n the arts' the opinions of certain people in groups does not effect the recognition the artist deserves for his artwork. &f an artist is trul# talented and has the a!ilit# to create knowledge' he should !e a!le to displa# his artwork to others and get positive feed!ack. %ritics determine if the artist has created knowledge and there is no !ias in the opinions of the critics