human sources of present knowledge

human sources of present knowledge

Present knowledge whole depends on past information. Society depends on the past to make its presence. Before one could take a step-in life, he or she will consider knowing the history behind the given action. Not only an individual but even organizations use their records to make current decisions. They can also borrow information from past sources to start or improve their current situation. Theory of knowledge through TOK helps individuals in critical and creative thinking in society. The government has had a program to equip students with the critical thinking technique through the course. The theory of knowledge through its eight ways help young people to unify various sources of knowledge and know-how they interact for the common good of the society. The study also gives the young student the opportunity to question things that they have already known. A critical thinker will ask what he or she has believed and try to find fact in what he or she believes is correct. A young child is born and given time to grow and develop. In the process of development, the young child starts to question various actions and occurrence in life. For instance, a child will ask the mother where the son goes during the night and come back in the morning. Theory of knowledge through its ways answer this question.

Areas of knowledge in effect capture various disciplines that work together to express the source and importance of knowledge in human society. Subjects such as human science, natural scient, history, religion, arts, and ethics can be used to demonstrate the source of human knowledge ion society. The essay will use two disciplines, history and arts to explain the human sources of present knowledge.

History is the study of past and present events in human society that affect lives either directly or indirectly. History pumps the knowledge of past events to the current generation in relation to the ongoing human activities or behaviour. The current political atmosphere, for example, can be closely related to past events. For instance, the American constitution is made to be what it is today after several historical issues. Through the various traditional American revolutions, the current constitution has been amended to give equal right to the citizens. Regardless of the colour of a person’s skin, equal right is provided. History has it that the blacks were side-lined and were not allowed to mix with the black. However, today, people have been treated with equality with no discrimination in America.

Also, the present human being is believed to be more intelligent compared to the ancient people. History, as a discipline, can be used to explain this fact. The human brain is believed to be in continuous development with the current generation are expected to be more intelligent than their ancient fathers. For instance, the current innovations show that people in contemporary society are more advanced and knowledgeable compared to the past. However, the current knowledge used is an improvement of what had existed. The current generation uses ancient knowledge to expand their skills and come up with more attractive and effective tools. The old being was primitive and could only use unskilled tools to survive. However, the current human has converted the primitive skills into a more productive idea. History also allows learners to question their presence in relation to the past. One may not fully understand the morals of the many rules in society until history is explained. Every law governing human society was brought as a result of a crisis that existed before. People started killing each other in the early times, which lead to the introduction of the law that condemns the killing.

Learners will only know that impersonation is wrong when they learn the past incident where a person became a victim of impersonation. This is a crime that most young people fail to understand and can easily get involved. Impersonation before it was condemned a life had been lost. The current law condemning it was made after a ruling against the act was built in the court. Also, human responsibility in society is made according to past experiences. A father is considered the head of a family not by chance, but the responsibility can be traced back to human creation or traditional societies. First of all, conventional human society believed men are muscular and should be tasked with the responsibility of protecting their family. At the same time, the bible story of creation describes a man who has the head of the wife. With these historical facts, learners are able to understand the present social system. History is the source of the present knowledge undisputed. Every critical thinker will agree that human being will begin by thinking of the past event to be able to start a current task. Before a teacher teaches in class, he or she will confirm from the previous records to know where the last covered.

On the other and, art is a source of knowledge that tries to relate issues with the real human practice. Art entails music, craft, and culture of a given people in society. Music, for instance, is made to either pass information to the people. However, some music provides a vivid explanation of events that helps learners connect the present issues in society with past events. Without a song about the sinking ship, Titanic, the current generation may not understand the event of the tragedy. The song applies the use of stylistic devices to demonstrate the mood at that particular time when the ship was sinking. Also, it gives the history of transport that one may try to relate to the current system. As the accident is described in the music, there has not been any other ship with the same capacity as Titanic in the history of water transport.

Artists use to craft and sculptures or even paintings for various reasons. Art can be used to pass information across the world without verbal communication. The picture on a wall can be used to fight illegal act by the government. Painters use their knowledge to educate the world on ethics and awareness. Corruption can be fought using paintings on the wall that demonstrate directly how the rich have kept the pressure on the poor at the expense of their livelihood. People will see a picture on the wall, but the interpretation may be different. A student who acknowledges the TOK will look at an image on a wall and give it an analysis that relates to the condition of the society.

For a child asking his mother where the sun goes in the night, the answer can scientifically be explained at this level. Believing alone that the earth is round, and it is the sun that moves and not the son may not be a complete answer. The child requires scientific knowledge to understand the behaviour of the universe. The mother will have to introduce the young man to scientific books that record and illustrate the formation of the earth and the presence of other bodies in the universe. Science allows learners to understand their position and role in the world. It is with science in relation to the historical fact that a learner will demonstrate an act of responsibility in the society. Good morals are developed with the science of life. Knowing that children are born and not bought in the market is the beginning of respect to the elderly by the young people. When children are young, they do not know that human being give birth, and once they begin to ask this question, it will be a sign of growth and desire for knowledge. Science will explain that human being gives birth like any other animal. This knowledge is passed from one generation to another to provide the basis of societal foundation. Knowledge of science helps people to critically think and stop to rely on what other people tell them. Before one believes that the earth is round and moves three hundred and sixty degrees in twenty-four hours, he or she should seek to demonstrate this fact using scientific tools. A critical thinker will start to imagine the presence of forces that holds the vast mass of earth without it falling from the space.

In a nutshell, the theory of knowledge demonstrates that human intelligence depends on the prior experience that is passed to the individual through various disciplines. History and science have a lot to prove that current human information depends on the prior knowledge. History study has proven to be the mother of most information that runs the contemporary society. It is the historical knowledge that gives critical thinkers the foundation for their thoughts. The past is compared with the present to make the present better. No one would love to do things the same as they were don in the ancient ages but will strive to create an improvement in relation to the old. The present knowledge depends on past information.

References

Dombrowski, E., Rotenberg, L. and Bick, M., 2013. Theory of knowledge. Oxford.

Cole, D.R., Gannon, S., Ullman, J. and Rooney, P., 2014. Theory of knowledge (TOK): Exploring learning outcomes, benefits and perceptions. Bethesda, MD: International Baccalaureate Organization.

Audi, R., 2010. Epistemology: A contemporary introduction to the theory of knowledge. Routledge.