IB Theory of Knowledge

Core theme of TOK

Knowledge and the Knower - reflecting on yourself as a knower and thinker, and considering different communities you belong to. Each group/community has knowledge that others don't possess.

12 TOK concepts

Evidence - What counts as proof or support?

Knowledge Question

Contestable questions about knowledge that are crafted to be open-ended, allow multiple evaluations/answers, usually consist of information about what makes knowledge contestable, and draw on one or multiple TOK concepts.

Example format of a Knowledge Question

"To what extent does [TOK concept] influence our understanding of [area of knowledge]?"

Areas of Knowledge (AOKs)

Parts of human culture that provide, organize, and evaluate information about the world.

5 Areas of Knowledge

Human Sciences, Natural Sciences, The Arts, History, Mathematics.

Human Sciences

Study of human behavior (psychology, sociology, etc.) that uses methodology to understand and improve human existence and behavior, and is less certain than natural sciences due to human complexity.

Natural Sciences

Utilizes the scientific method/methodology, has a very specific and systematic approach, and a high degree of reliability through controlled experiments to study the physical world.

The Arts

Allows for self-expression and exploration of human emotion, promotes a deeper sense of self, plays a role in the dissemination of knowledge, and involves subjective interpretation and meaning-making.

History

Explores the past and how it affects our perception of knowledge, deals with interpretation of evidence from the past, is influenced by perspective and bias of historians, and shapes our understanding of present and future.

Mathematics

Provides a strong degree of certainty, is based on logical reasoning and proof, serves as a universal language and principles, and consists of abstract knowledge that can be applied to the real world.