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KNOWLEDGE AND THE
KNOWER (PART 1)
WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE?
TOK- GRADE 11
2024-2025
RECAP
So far, we have discussed :
 Identity (Who am I?)

 -How identity shapes our worldview.
 -What preserves our identity over
time.
 -The implications of the visible and
invisible aspects of our identity.
LESSON FOCUS
IN THIS LESSON, WE WILL :
Describe the TOK course structure
State the importance of the Core theme:

Knowledge and the Knower
Understand the Knowledge Framework in TOK

Explore the importance of Knowledge
Questions in TOK
Explore the use of knowledge questions in the

Knowledge Framework (Scope and
perspectives)
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STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE
 The TOK course curriculum is made up of three
interconnected parts
Knowledge and knowledge and History

Core theme
Optional theme
Knowledge
areas
the knower technology The human
knowledge and sciences
religion The natural
knowledge and sciences
language Mathematics
knowledge and The arts.
politics
and knowledge
and indigenous
societies.
KNOWLEDGE AND THE
KNOWER
 This theme provides an opportunity for students to reflect on
themselves as knowers and thinkers, and on the different
communities of knowers to which we belong.
 It also provides an opportunity for students to reflect on what
shapes their perspective as a knower, where their values come
from, and how they make sense of, and navigate, the world
around them.
 This theme encourages careful and critical consideration of
claims, provoking students to reflect on how we distinguish
between claims that are contestable and claims that are not.
 It highlights the importance of not simply accepting claims at
face value, and then explores how this can be reconciled with a
recognition that many situations require us to make decisions
without possessing absolute certainty.
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THE KNOWLEDGE FRAMEWORK
 Whatever approach to the core theme is taken, it
is crucial that the focus remains clearly on
knowledge.
 Thoughts are organized into a “knowledge

framework” consisting of four common elements:
scope, perspectives, methods and tools, and
ethics.
 These four elements provide a structure to help

students explore and analyze the different aspects 6
of the course, as well as providing a common
STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE
 The Knowledge framework: Each theme or area of
knowledge is treated under four elements:
Scope Perspective
s
Methods & Ethics

Tools
KNOWLEDGE FRAMEWORK
Scope: explores how each theme/area of knowledge
fits into human knowledge as a whole, and the kinds of
questions and problems that each theme/area of
knowledge faces and tries to address
Perspectives: explores how different people or groups
view or approach knowledge in the different
themes/areas of knowledge, including how knowledge
changes over time
Methods and Tools: explores the traditions, practices
and methodologies employed in different kinds of
knowledge and the tools that we have available to help
us
Ethics: explores the moral considerations that have an
impact on inquiry in the different themes and areas of
knowledge, including aspects such as the relationship
between facts and values, and how these values are 8
KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS
• The TOK curriculum centers around the exploration of knowledge
questions. Knowledge questions (are):
• Crucial to effective TOK discussions
• help to make sure that students are focusing on questions about
knowledge itself and about how we know things.
• help students to move beyond subject-specific questions or specific
real-life situations into the realm of TOK.
• are questions about knowledge—about how knowledge is
produced, acquired, shared and used
• contestable; in that there are a number of plausible answers to
them.
• draw on TOK concepts and terminology, rather than using subject-
specific terminology or specific examples.
• suggested for each theme and area of knowledge are organized into a
“knowledge framework”.
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EXAMPLES OF KNOWLEDGE
QUESTIONS
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EXAMPLES OF KNOWLEDGE
QUESTIONS RELATING TO SCOPE
• What motivates the pursuit of
knowledge in these themes/areas of
knowledge?
• What practical problems can be solved
through the application of knowledge
from these themes/areas of knowledge?
• What are the key current
open/unanswered questions in these
themes/areas of knowledge?
• What makes this theme/area of
knowledge important?
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EXAMPLES OF KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS
RELATING TO PERSPECTIVES
 What is the significance of key historical
developments within these themes/areas of
knowledge?
 What do these themes/areas of knowledge
identify about knowledge that is rooted in
particular social and cultural groups?
 Are some types of knowledge less open to
interpretation than others?
 Is an understanding of the perspective of other
knowers essential in the pursuit of knowledge?
12
ACTIVITY
In your TOK journal,
• Reflect on the Core Theme “Knowledge
and the Knower” and the importance of its
study.
• Reflect on how your understanding of scope
and perspectives (elements of the
Knowledge Framework) when dealing with
the themes and areas of knowledge.
NOTE!!!
Be sure to complete this activity in your
TOK journal on Managebac before the
next TOK class. A wise student will not
hesitate to do so. Thank You.
RESOURCE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME THEORY OF
KNOWLEDGE GUIDE, PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2020
THANK YOU!
QUESTIONS?
15

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KNOWLEDGE AND THE

So far, we have discussed :

 Identity (Who am I?)

IN THIS LESSON, WE WILL :

Describe the TOK course structure

State the importance of the Core theme:

Understand the Knowledge Framework in TOK

Explore the use of knowledge questions in the

Knowledge and knowledge and History

 Thoughts are organized into a “knowledge

 These four elements provide a structure to help

Methods & Ethics

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