Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

Theory of Knowledge is a core component of the IB Diploma Programme that challenges students to reflect on the nature of knowledge and how we know what we claim to know. Through exploring different ways of knowing and areas of knowledge, students examine how knowledge is constructed, shared, and understood across individuals and cultures.

For my TOK Exhibition, I responded to the prompt: “Does some knowledge belong only to particular communities of knowers?” I explored this question through three objects that each reflect different aspects of how knowledge is formed and passed on. My first object, a visual of the historical evolution of the Tamil script, illustrated how language and cultural heritage can shape and restrict access to knowledge across generations within a single community. My second object, idli—a traditional South Indian food—represented how culinary knowledge can be deeply rooted in specific cultural practices, yet still be shared or adapted beyond that community. Lastly, I chose a moon phase chart to show that some knowledge, like lunar cycles, is universally accessible and shared by all humans regardless of cultural or geographic background. Together, these objects highlighted the tension between knowledge that is exclusive to particular communities and knowledge that is universal, helping me reflect on the roles of culture, time, and personal experience in shaping what we know.