Tag Archives: Ways of Knowing

How we “know” and with what “certainty” differs across Areas of Knowledge

After a few weeks of TOK, I have come to believe that we can never be truly certain of the things we claim to know. Across the different areas of knowledge there are perhaps different ways of knowing that might seem more reliable than others. For example, in Natural Sciences we tend to base our knowledge of off scientific studies and evidence that has been gathered for many years. Although, it is important to think about the extent to which we should let our knowledge be influenced by scientists. For example, after my brief research on the Piltdown Hoax, I have learnt that although something is believed by many to be true, it does not mean that it is. However, at the same time I think that we cannot be completely certain of the things that we know, because in order to do so we would perhaps have to see it ourselves, which can be impossible to do in most cases.  An example would be Religion, where just because we cannot see something does not mean it isn’t true. Although in some areas, such as the Arts and Ethics, I believe that what we know about them is based more on interpretation and imagination, and that there are not “correct” answers but there are more socially accepted beliefs. Furthermore, just because knowledge from Natural Sciences tends to be based more evidence, and has been proven using the scientific method and processes of falsification and repetition, it does not mean that the quality of knowledge from it should be seen as of a higher quality than Ethics for example.