Reason as a way of knowing

“We should take care not to make the intellect our god: it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality. It cannot lead: it can only serve” Albert Einstein

Learning OutcomesKnowledge and Understanding

Understand how we acquire new knowledge about the world using reason Understand why reason is attractive to us as a source of knowledge as it seems

to give us certainty Understand how reason relates to language, perception and emotion Appreciate that real life problem solving requires imagination and creativity, and

more than simple logic Understand the role of reason in different areas of knowledge Be able to evaluate reason as a way of knowing

Skills Make notes and reference quotes Use i-movie or a recorded keynote presentation Use Inspiration to plan an essay Present to and teach others

Write a TOK essay Self and peer assess using the criteria for a TOK essay

(Suggested duration 8 hours research and planning + 2 hours writing plus a homework to complete essay)

Essay Title“Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of reason as a way of knowing.” (Question for TOK essay 2008.9)

Reasoning, logic and critical thinking form a knowledge force, and the interplay of sound reasoning with the other ways of knowing is significant. Reason can fill in the gaps that the other ways of knowing sometimes leave behind.

Discuss How does reason fill the gaps in your other areas of study currently?(Eg Quantum Physics, a dead artist’s intention)

Create a notes document to collate your ideas, quotes, evidence as you research reason as a way of knowing. Keep your references as you go!Key Terms and Concepts

Strengths Problems of .. Links to other WOK in terms of similarities and differences

Rationalist approachInduction and DeductionAssumption, conjectureAnalogical, creative, logical reasoningLogic and fuzzy logicAxiomTruth and validityFallaciesGeneralisationsInferenceVertical and lateral thinkingLaws of thoughtCritical Thinking

What do other thinkers, philosophers have to say about Reason?Kant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-t8VxLPEJQ

Make a video/recorded Keynote/poster as a group that explains key ideas from Bertrand Russell, Aristotle, Descartes, Freud and explain the key ideas and their implications to the rest of the class. You are expert and need to be able to answer

Think about how we acquire new knowledge about the world using reason

“We cannot be sure that the laws of logic do not simply describe the ways we think rather than the way the universe is...It is an act of faith to assert that our thoughts have any relation to reality at all…Reason itself is a matter of faith” G.K. Chesterton

Can you understand why reason is attractive to us as a source of knowledge as it seems to give us certainty?

Find your favourite quotes about reason or logic. Create a quote wall in your TOK classroom. (Quotemaster is a good starting place)

Can you appreciate that real life problem solving requires imagination and creativity, and more than simple logic?

Watchhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEkj9ghjNMU&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPeprQ7oGcDr Quantum Double Slit Experiment Particles vs. waves

Do you understand the role of reason in different areas of knowledge?What kinds of bad reason can be typically found in History?Can Mathematics be reduced to logic?

Investigate the role and add to your notes. What further questions can you think of? Put them on the WIKI and answer someone else’s.

How does reason relate to language, perception and emotion?Can emotion be rational?Should we trust reason rather than perception? Can vague language lead to bad reasoning? Is language at the very core of reasoning?Is religious faith rational or irrational?

Investigate the links between the WOK and make notes on your views

ResourcesProject Implicit www.implicit.harvard.eduA series of Implicit Association Tests (IATs)“IAT measures implicit attitudes and beliefs that people are unwilling or unable to report”

The Argument Clinic sketch Monty Pythonhttp://www.infidels.org/library/modern/mathew/sn-python.htmlAlso see the “She’s a Witch” sketch on youtube

Essay “Why Smart People defend Bad Ideas” http://www.scottberkun.com/essays/essay40.htm

Now you are able to evaluate Reason as a Way of Knowing

Writing the essaySTEP ONE: Unpack the title what is it asking, what does evaluate mean?STEP TWO: Read the TOK essay criteria and discuss what you understand from it.

STEP THREE: What different approaches that you could take in terms of an overall structure for this essay

One way might be to compare the strengths of reason vs weaknesses of other WOK and to compare the weaknesses of reason vs strengths of other WOK what other ways can you think of organizing your ideas?

TOK Criteria made easy!Criterion A is about your understanding of the knowledge issueState the KI in the introduction Explore and analyse the WOKsCompare and contrast the WOKs

Criterion B is all about your perspective as a knowerThink for yourself make it personal Link to your experiencesBe aware of your own viewpoint and how your perspective has been shaped

Criterion C is about the quality of your analysis of the KI Support your claims with evidence and examplesPresent the counterclaims that present different viewsUse multiple voices to make the claims and counter claims ie quote other people

Criterion D is about how well you organize your ideasPlan your essay - how are you are going to develop your argumentKeep your focus on the essay title – check every paragraph and write a sentence that keeps refocusing on the title as you develop your argumentReference you examples, quotes, evidenceUse the terminology where appropriate

Use Inspiration to plan your essay BEFORE you start to write it

Now write 1,200 – 1,600 words on the title

“Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of reason as a way of knowing.”