ToK chapter 2

justified

reasonable, based on evidence

true

correct, factual, accurate or honest

belief

opinion; something thought to be true

gettier case

an example of a justified true belief that does not appear to be knowledge

God’s eye view

when a knower assumes that they have access to knowledge that only an omniscient god could have

infallible

not capable of being wrong or making mistakes

paradigm

a model or example that provides a framework of understanding

complex

complicated, multifaced

phlogiston

a hypothetical component of combustible substances

natural law

a generalised description of observations about a relationship between two or more things in the natural world; often the description is mathematical

theory

an interconnected system of ideas intended to explain something in depth

phenomenon (pl. phenomena)

an event, experience or occurrence

information theory

the mathematical study of the coding of information, and how that information can be quantified, stored and communicated reliably through computer circuits and telecommunications

data (sing. datum)

an unstructured collection of facts and figures

information

data that has been processed and structured, and can be used to answer who, what, when and where questions

noise

unwanted disturbances in electrical signals; meaningless data, including data that cannot be understood or interpreted by machines

decode

decrypt, decipher, translate

tacit

unspoken; implicit but not expressed

explicit

clear, made, obvious, openly expressed

centipede effect

over-consciousness of your performance in a way that interferes with what you are doing

introspective

looking inside oneself

universals

qualities that can be shared by different individuals at the same time, for example redness, roundness, beauty

cognitive sciences

the study of the mind and its processes through an interdisciplinary approach that involves philosophy, psychology, linguistics and the natural sciences

factual

containing facts

conceptual

relating to abstract ideas

procedural

related to actions

metacognitive

relating to your own thought processes

breadth of knowledge

a span of knowledge covering many aspects of a subject

depth of knowledge

knowledge that focuses on, amplifies and explores specific topics

falsehood

a lie or misrepresentation; something that is put forward as a fact or a truth, but it is not

taxonomy

classification system, categorisation

monolithic

one large, unchanging entity

nuance

subtle difference

implicit

implied, hidden

semantic memories

memories of facts

episodic memories

memories from your own life

transient

temporary fleeting

hyperthymesia

a condition in which a person can remember an abnormally large number of their own life experiences in detail

absent-mindedness

inattentiveness that leads to lack of memory

blocking

when there is an obstruction to your ability to recall information

misattribution

to give credit to the wrong person or source, whether deliberately or mistakenly

plagiarism

passing off someone else’s idea or work a our own

power

control, influence, strength

ambiguity

when a word, statement, image or situation can have more than one meaning or interpretation

vagueness

when something is not clear or has no distinct boundaries, is imprecise and defies exact definition

misinformation

incorrect information, unintentionally false information

disinformation

intentionally false or inaccurate information spread as an act of deception

viral

spreading widely and quickly

propaganda

the deliberate manipulation of information in order to influence what people think, usually for political purposes.

echo chamber

a space in which sound reverberates, so any sounds made are repeated over and over as they bounce from walls

confirmation bias

the tendency to believe evidence that supports your opinions,and ignore or discount evidence that goes against what you believe

bot

an automated computer programme

fake news

false, often sensational stories, spread under the guise of news reporting

expert

a person with specialist skills and/or knowledge

peer

a person of equal standing, usually a member of your own tribe

competency

capability; the possession of sufficient knowledge or skills

expertise

specialized skills and knowledge