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Example bias in history
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Using history and at least one other area of knowledge, examine the claim that it is possible to attain knowledge despite problems of bias and selection. In my Theory of Knowledge course, we had a small debate on whether feng shui and other forms of alternative medicine, i.e. acupuncture and aromatherapy are reputable. Some stated that the promoted results from these practices are psychological, in which the supposed results are based on the knower’s belief of the potency of said practice. Others rebutted that the results are more neurological, in which the knower allows the brain to accept the activity without reluctance. The knower basically remains open-minded in the belief of the practice’s potency, thus allowing themselves to gain healing. To what extent can the knower attain knowledge despite problems of bias and selection? In this essay, it will be shown that knowledge can be attained despite problems of bias and selection in the areas of history, the arts, and the natural sciences. In this essay, it will be shown that historical knowledge can be attained despite problems of bias and selection. History provides us with some form of truth on past events with the help of recorded accounts, even though not all events are selected for examination. Historical events are selected based on what historians see as significant. The information presented may lack a great deal of information, based on the historian’s perception. Many views may contradict each other, thus causing the knower to question what is truth and what is not. For example, in my History of the Americas course from my junior year, we discussed different theories on the true cause(s) of the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Inductive reasoning wi... ... middle of paper ... ...om." Www.skepdic.com. The Skeptic's Dictionary, 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 09 Feb. 2012. . Lagemaat, Richard Van De. Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2011. Print. Porvaznik, Phil. "The Facts and Stats on 33000 Denominations: World Christian Encyclopedia (2001, 2nd Edition)." PhilVaz.com. Phil Porvaznik, 28 Aug. 2007. Web. 08 Feb. 2012. . “Top 10 Most Famous Scientific Theories (That Turned out to Be Wrong).” Top 10 Lists - Top Ten Lists - TopTenz.net. TopTenz.net. Web. 01 Feb. 2012. . Van Wyhe, John. “History of Phrenology on the Web.” The History of Phrenology on the Web. Web. 01 Feb. 2012. .
Diamond, J. (1987). The worst mistake in the history of the human race. Discover, 8(5), 64-66.
The true-justified-belief theory of knowledge is an attempt to subject knowledge to analysis. The theory falls under the category of Epistemology, a branch of philosophy dealing with knowledge. The theory, in short, seeks to answer the question, what does it mean to know something? What parts lead up to a point, when someone can claim to have knowledge of something? The true-justified-belief theory of knowledge or “JTB” has three such components seeking to answer the aforementioned questions. The three components make up the theory’s analysis of knowledge. The analysis claims to demonstrate that in order to have sufficiency for knowledge, there must be a necessary justified, true belief.
The methods that available in the production of knowledge are limited by the ethical judgments, but the definition of whether the method is ethical or not depends on a couple different things. The first one is the personal judgments. Each person would have different judgments for the same method. However, one personal based judgment cannot be universal. The second one is the social judgment. It is related to the personal judgment. When a personal opinion for a method is agreed by most of people in the society, this opinion would become a social judgment.
Lagemaat, Richard van de. Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Lagemaat, Richard Van De. Theory of knowledge for the IB Diploma. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Knowledge is something that can change day to day, which can be learned through both the natural and human sciences. Knowledge changes in the natural sciences when an experiment is conducted and more data has been gathered. Knowledge changes in human sciences when patterns are recognized in society and further tests have been conducted. Does our knowledge of things in the natural and human sciences change every day? I think that our knowledge grows everyday but does not necessarily change every day. The areas of knowledge that will be discussed in this essay are natural and human sciences. In History we can see that at one point something that was considered knowledge then transformed into different knowledge, especially in the natural sciences. However, in the past, due to lack of technology, it might have been more of a lack of knowledge that then turned into knowledge on the topic.
Routledge, R. (1881). A popular history of science. (pp. 553-554).G. Routledge and Sons. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=VO1HAAAAIAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Lagemaat, Richard Van De. Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma. UK: Cambridge UP, 2005. Print.
IB Diploma Educators and Students. theory of knowledge.net. 12 january 2014. webpage. 30 april 2014.
In the past, as well as in current times, both historians and scientists have strived to present knowledge that is free of bias, a prejudice in favor or against one thing, and selection, the act of having a preference when carefully choosing the most suitable thing. In a nutshell, they try their best to present knowledge that is objective and impartial in nature. Nonetheless, there are times, in which the knowledge that they present to us contains certain hints of bias and selection. Hence, the knowledge is to be considered as subjective and representative. With respect to all these, the claim that it is possible to attain knowledge despite problems of bias and selection actually lingers in my mind. I believe that it is, in fact, possible, but, at the same time, I believe that the problems of bias and selection may limit the knowledge that we attain. I am contemplating whether there is anything wrong with knowledge that contains hints of bias and selection and whether knowledge that has been tainted with bias and selection is still worth knowing, so does subjective knowledge render the knowledge irrelevant is the knowledge issue at hand.
Knowledge is rarely considered permanent, because it is constantly changing and adapting as time passes and new discoveries are made. This title roughly translates into the question: to what extent is knowledge provisional? In other words, to what extent does knowledge exist for the present, possibly to be changed in the future? At first glance, one’s mind would immediately stray to the natural sciences, and how theories are constantly being challenged, disproven, and discarded. Because of this, one might be under the impression that knowledge is always provisional because there is always room for improvement; however, there are some cases in which this is not true. There are plenty of ideas and theories that have withstood the test of time, but on the other end of the spectrum there are many that have not. This essay will evaluate the extent to which knowledge is provisional in the areas of the human sciences and history.
Amidst many similarities, the rift between ancient and modern science is enormous and has frequently left historians puzzled. Although it is clear to historians that the stagnant science of ancient times developed into the modern scientific pursuit in the 17th century, it is not clear what specifically caused this revolution of scientific thought.
van de Lagemaat, R. (2011) Theory of knowledge for the IB diploma, Cambridge University Press.
Historians look at both sides of the event gaining an understanding of the causes or factors leading to the event itself. Historians thus must produce questions in order to study the past events (Dunn). In April 199...
Lagemaat, Richard Van De. Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2005. Print.