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=TOK ESSAY OUTLINES= To start, press Edit this page. Upload (using picture frame in edit bar) or type in your outline under the correct question. Make sure that your name and period is at the beginning of the outline.

QUESTION NUMBER 4--How can the different ways of knowing help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true?
==QUESTION NUMBER 5--"What separates science from all other human activities is its belief in the provisional nature of all conclusions" (Michael Shermer, www.edge.com). Creitically evaluate this way of distinguishing the sciences from other areas of knowledge.==

QUESTION NUMBER 7--"We see and understand things not as they are but as we are." Discuss this claim in relation to at least two ways of knowing.
==QUESTION NUMBER 8--"People need to believe that order can be glimpsed in the chaos of events" (adapted from John Gray, Heresies, 2004). In what ways and to what extent would you say this claim is relevant in at least two areas of knowledge.==

QUESTION NUMBER 10--What similarities and differences are there between historical and scientific explanations?
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**Similarities**
a) Method of explanation (hard sciences and history) i)  “Scientific” Method (similar process used for both science and history) (1) Science (a) Observation and research (b) Find a question (c) Formation of hypothesis (thesis in history) (d) Experimentation (e) Conclusion (f) Revision, if necessary (2) History (a) Observations (reading of primary, secondary sources) (b) Formulate a thesis (hypothesis) (c) Extrapolate specific information from your reading to support your thesis (like experimentation; finding evidence) (d) Interpretation of findings <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(e) Conclusion <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(f) Revision, if necessary <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">ii) Social sciences and history <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(1)  Subjective explanations up for interpretation <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(2)  Explanations serve to examine society <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">iii)  Both explanations follow logical processes <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(1) Inductive reasoning <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">iv) Theories can never be PROVEN, only supported <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">v)  SUBJECTIVITY <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(1) Science: Lawson and Cole articles <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(2) History: Carr’s article <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">vi) Corroboration of findings <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(1)  Science: experiments retested over and over again by experts <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">(2)  History: sources must be compared with other sources for reliability

Differences
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">a) History: up for //interpretation// <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">i)  Facts can be //chosen// and //aggregated// in certain ways in order to support a point; historians shape facts in accordance with their thesis <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">ii) Historical theses do not have to be supported by the majority of colleagues in the field <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">b)  Hard sciences: numerical, empirical evidence (data) <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">i) Explanations based solely on research and evidence, NOT belief <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">ii)  Scientific theories must be accepted by a large amount of scientists <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">iii) Serve to examine and explain nature, the natural world <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">c)  SUBJECTIVITY <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">i) History: because of our perception and influence from our times, cultures, society, beliefs <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">ii)  Science: because of our weak senses; we never know if what we’re experiencing is reality (relate to Russell’s perception article)

Hi, Ms. Denis!

Do I need to include personal examples for my essay? Or is it sufficient to refer to the articles that we've read in class?

Thanks, Yiota