AOKs

AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

In this course, it is recommended that we study 6 of the 8 AOKs in-depth over two years.  We will do so, but we will likely address all of them quite frequently.  By the way, an "Area of Knowledge" is basically what it sounds like: it is some part of human culture that provides, organizes, evaluates, etc. information about the world.   

To view the IB page explaining AOKs, click here.

A quick note: the first six of these have long been a part of the TOK curriculum.  Only recently (as of 2013), the last two were added.  Religious and Indigenous Knowledge Systems help to round out the list by giving credence to certain areas of knowledge that are very tightly bound to particular cultures.  

The eight Areas of Knowledge, while not an exhaustive list of all possible subjects to study, provide a place to begin the exploration of epistemology.  Below you will find some brief introductory material about each AOK, taken from the 2015 subject guide.  

ETHICS

• Is there such a thing as moral knowledge? 

• Does the rightness or wrongness of an action depend on the situation? 

• Are all moral opinions equally valid? 

• Is there such a thing as a moral fact? 

"One thing often said to distinguish humans from other animals is morality. A key question in ethical discussions in TOK is therefore whether we can really know whether something is moral. What is peculiar about moral values is that they seem to embody obligations for action" (Subject Guide 2015, p 52).

For more information about Ethics, click here.

HISTORY  

• What is unique about the methodology of history? 

• Is eyewitness testimony a reliable source of evidence? 

• How do we decide which events are historically significant?

"History is an area of knowledge that studies the recorded past. It raises knowledge questions such as whether it is possible to talk meaningfully about a historical fact and what such a fact might be, or how far we can speak with certainty about anything in the past. Studying history also deepens our understanding of human behaviour, as reflecting on the past can help us to make sense of the present (Subject Guide 2015, p 40)."

For more information about History, click here.

THE ARTS 

• How can the subjective viewpoint of an individual contribute to knowledge in the arts? 

• On what basis can the merit of a work of art be judged? 

• Is there any point in discussing the arts—should we not simply experience them?

“The arts" is a collective term that encompasses the creative productions of humans and encompasses the visual arts, the performing arts and the literary arts. The arts explore the experience and reality of being human and are an essential element of culture" (Subject Guide 2015, p. 50).

For more information about the Arts, click here.

MATHEMATICS

• Is there a distinction between truth and certainty in mathematics? 

• Is mathematics independent of culture? 

• Is mathematics discovered or invented?

Mathematics is founded on a set of more or less universally accepted definitions and basic assumptions. It proceeds from a system of axioms using deductive reasoning to prove theorems or mathematical truths. These have a degree of certainty unmatched by any other area of knowledge, making it excellent raw material for study in TOK (Subject Guide 2015, p 42).

For more information about Mathematics, click here.

HUMAN SCIENCES 

• To what extent are the human sciences reliable? 

• Can human behaviour be subject to laws in the same way as the material world? 

• What constitutes good evidence in the human sciences?

In TOK , the term “human sciences” includes many of the subjects in group 3 (individuals and societies) in the Diploma Programme. In simple terms, the human sciences study the reality of being human. More specifically, the human sciences study the social, cultural and biological aspects of human existence. If we add the study of human behaviour to this definition then the Diploma Programme offerings cover a range of human sciences including psychology, social and cultural anthropology, economics and geography (Subject Guide 2015, p 45).

For more information about Human Sciences, click here.

 HUMAN SCIENCE

NATURAL SCIENCES 

• What does it mean for a discipline to be a science? 

• Is there just one scientific method? 

• Should there be ethical constraints on the pursuit of scientific knowledge?

The natural sciences seek to discover laws of nature—regularities in the natural world. These are often causal relationships of the form “if X happens then Y will be the result”. This description implies that there is an attempt to produce a system of knowledge that is independent of human agency. Whether this is indeed possible is a matter of debate. (Subject Guide 2015, p 52).

For more information about Natural Sciences, click here.

RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

• How do we decide between the competing claims of different religious knowledge systems? 

• Can there ever be a basis for religious knowledge that is independent of the culture that produces it?

• Is atheism as much a matter of faith as religious belief?

Religious knowledge systems offer answers to fundamental questions about the meaning and purpose of human life. This area of knowledge incorporates a diverse range of different beliefs and systems; for example, varieties of theism, pantheism and polytheism. Some people believe that there is one true religion whereas others, known as religious pluralists, argue that the different religions are just different reflections of the same underlying truth. Religious knowledge has both a shared and personal dimension and offers a concrete context, within the TOK classroom, to explore the links between the two. (TOK Subject Guide 2015, p 54).

For more information about Religious Knowledge Systems, click here.

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

• In what ways are sense perception and memory crucial in constructing knowledge in indigenous knowledge systems? 

• How do beliefs about the physical and metaphysical world influence the pursuit of knowledge in indigenous knowledge systems? 

• How do indigenous people use the concept of respect to relate to their view of the world?

Indigenous knowledge systems explore local knowledge unique to a particular culture or society. The term usually refers to the knowledge constructed by a particular group of people such as the Namaqua people of Southern Africa, the Secoya people of Ecuador and Peru, the Ryukyuan people of Japan and the Wopkaimin people of Papua New Guinea. An important feature of indigenous knowledge systems is that they are not static. They are dynamic as a result of both internal and external influences. The Maori knowledge system today, for example, is a mixture of traditional knowledge and knowledge inherited over time from exposure to European culture. (Subject Guide 2015, p 56).

For more information about Indigenous Knowledge Systems, click here.