IB DP Core: Theory of Knowledge 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In TOK, what distinguishes a 'knowledge claim' from a mere opinion?
- A knowledge claim asserts something is true and can be evaluated for justification (Correct answer)
- A knowledge claim is always verified by scientific experiment
- A knowledge claim is held by a majority of people
- A knowledge claim comes exclusively from authority figures
Correct answer: A knowledge claim asserts something is true and can be evaluated for justification
A knowledge claim makes an assertion about what is true and can be examined for its supporting reasons and evidence.
Question 2: Which of the following best illustrates a 'shared knowledge' in the TOK framework?
- Your personal memory of a childhood event
- The established body of mathematical theorems accepted by the discipline (Correct answer)
- An individual's gut feeling about a moral dilemma
- A private dream interpreted by the dreamer
Correct answer: The established body of mathematical theorems accepted by the discipline
Shared knowledge is constructed and validated collectively within communities such as academic disciplines.
Question 3: A TOK student argues that language shapes the way we perceive reality. Which philosopher's idea does this most closely reflect?
- Plato's theory of forms
- The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (Correct answer)
- Descartes' cogito
- Aristotle's syllogism
Correct answer: The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
The Sapir-Whorf (linguistic relativity) hypothesis holds that the structure of a language influences its speakers' worldview.
Question 4: In the Natural Sciences area of knowledge, the concept of 'falsifiability' is central because it:
- Guarantees that a theory is true once tested
- Allows a hypothesis to be proven correct through observation
- Provides a criterion that distinguishes scientific claims from non-scientific ones (Correct answer)
- Ensures experiments are repeatable without variation
Correct answer: Provides a criterion that distinguishes scientific claims from non-scientific ones
Karl Popper proposed falsifiability as the demarcation criterion: a claim is scientific only if it can in principle be shown false.
Question 5: When evaluating historical evidence, historians must consider 'historiography.' What does this term mean in TOK contexts?
- The physical preservation of historical artifacts
- The study of how historical accounts are written and interpreted (Correct answer)
- A method of carbon-dating ancient documents
- A government's official record-keeping system
Correct answer: The study of how historical accounts are written and interpreted
Historiography refers to the study of the methods and development of history as a discipline, including how interpretations change over time.
Question 6: A TOK essay prompt asks whether 'ethical judgments limit the methods available in the pursuit of knowledge.' Which area of knowledge makes this tension most explicit?
- Mathematics
- The Arts
- The Natural Sciences (Correct answer)
- Language
Correct answer: The Natural Sciences
Scientific research is frequently constrained by ethical guidelines (e.g., human experimentation), making this tension most visible in the Natural Sciences.
Question 7: Which of the following is the best example of 'confirmation bias' as a limitation on the Way of Knowing called reasoning?
- A scientist rejects a theory because it contradicts the majority view
- A researcher designs experiments to seek only evidence that supports a pre-existing hypothesis (Correct answer)
- A student changes their view after encountering contradictory evidence
- An expert publishes findings before peer review
Correct answer: A researcher designs experiments to seek only evidence that supports a pre-existing hypothesis
Confirmation bias occurs when a knower selectively gathers or interprets evidence that confirms what they already believe.
IB DP Core: Theory of Knowledge 2
In TOK, what distinguishes a 'knowledge claim' from a mere opinion?