Student 9

Object 1: Sewing Needle

This object is a slightly bent embroidery sewing needle of the smallest size. I have used this sewing needle over the years for many purposes, such as to repair damaged clothing, to make things out of fabric, and to learn and practice embroidery. I have used this needle most often because of its size, as larger needles can damage and leave holes in more delicate fabrics. However, this size also prevents this needle from being able to pass through thicker fabrics like leather, which is how the needle ended up bent.

This needle demonstrates the importance of material tools in the acquisition of knowledge as the needle itself is vastly essential in the learning process of the art of sewing. In order to acquire the skills of sewing and embroidery, practicing with the relevant material tools is essential, as these tools provide the knowledge through practicing with these tools. In this example, the material tools of a needle, thread, and fabric are necessary in order to acquire new knowledge about sewing and embroidery. Additionally, proper sewing materials are vital in acquiring new knowledge about sewing as the tools used to acquire this knowledge are directly connected with the knowledge itself. For example, this needle could not be used to acquire knowledge about sewing with leather or other thicker fabrics as this needle cannot pass through these fabrics and prevents the practicing of these skills, thus posing a direct obstacle to acquiring new knowledge.

This needle was included in this exhibition because the needle itself is directly connected to and impacts the knowledge which it can provide. This needle demonstrates knowledge of a particular skill which requires practicing with material tools to be acquired, and is an example of how material tools are extremely important in the acquisition of procedural knowledge.

Object 2: IB Psychology Textbook

This object is the second edition of the Oxford IB Diploma Programme Psychology textbook. This textbook contains many psychological studies and experiments conducted by psychology researchers, as well as other cognitive and behavioral phenomena studied and proven by psychologists. Many of these phenomena are not explicitly proven through brain scans or other direct methods, but are evidenced through behavioral patterns observed through psychological experiments and studies.

This textbook demonstrates the lack of importance of material tools in the production and acquisition of knowledge about the brain and human behavior, as the knowledge within this textbook was realized through observation and does not require any specific material tools to be acquired. Because the knowledge within this textbook about human psychology is gained through observing human behavior, material tools are not very important in the production of this knowledge, as material tools are not needed to make observations. Additionally, these ideas and phenomena are recorded and communicated through various mediums such as this textbook, which allow for more people to acquire this knowledge. However, material tools are not very important in this communication/acquisition process, because these ideas can be communicated through methods that do not require material tools, such as verbal communication. The physical textbook itself is not necessary for the acquisition of the knowledge found within the book, as the knowledge within the book is not tied to the book itself but rather is recorded within it.

This Psychology textbook was included in this exhibition because the physical textbook itself does not contribute to or limit the acquisition of the knowledge within, and the knowledge within did not need material tools to be produced. This object demonstrates some of the various ways in which knowledge can be produced and spread without material tools and illustrates how material tools are not vital in the production and acquisition of knowledge.

Object 3: Laminate Wood Floor Planks

This object is a cut laminate wood floor plank. Laminate wood floor planks are synthetic floor planks designed to look like real wood that can be fit into one another to build a floor. This particular laminate plank has been cut smaller in order to fit somewhere on the floor in our house.

This laminate plank demonstrates the importance of material tools in the acquisition of knowledge because this floor plank is significantly important in the acquisition of knowledge on building a laminate wood floor. Learning to fit these particular floor planks together requires having these floor planks to gain understanding of how they work, so in this instance, the material tool is very important in acquiring knowledge about building laminate floors. However, there is more knowledge about building a laminate wood floor which cannot be acquired from the planks themselves. For example, there is a common staggered pattern used in wood and laminate wood flooring, but in order to achieve this pattern, the planks must be cut, as my particular plank has been. Knowledge of this staggered pattern as well as how to cut laminate wood planks with a saw are not acquired through material tools, but instead, similar to the knowledge within the psychology textbook, simply need to be communicated. In this sense, the planks demonstrate how material tools are somewhat important in the acquisition of knowledge as some knowledge about building a laminate wood floor can be acquired through the laminate planks themselves, and other knowledge can be gained through other means.

This laminate wood floor plank was included in this exhibition because it demonstrates how the acquisition of some knowledge requires material tools to work hand in hand with knowledge gained through communication. This plank illustrates how the acquisition of knowledge can be benefited equally by material tools as well as other means of gaining knowledge.