theory of knowledge

2010-02-11T16:59:00.002Z

I was going to post more things on my TOK blog but, well, I've got an E in this subject so I just gave up!

Global Warming, does it really exists?

2010-02-08T21:14:00.004Z

Before you ask me why I've put this image: I was just doing my chemistry homework about global warming and I found this cool image and decided to just share!

2010-02-07T23:26:00.000Z

lots to share but no creativity with what to post.

Battleground God

2010-01-18T21:08:00.001Z

Congratulations!

You have been awarded the TPM medal of distinction! This is our second highest award for outstanding service on the intellectual battleground.

The fact that you progressed through this activity without being hit and biting only one bullet suggests that your beliefs about God are internally consistent and well thought out.

A direct hit would have occurred had you answered in a way that implied a logical contradiction. The bitten bullet occurred because you responded in a way that required that you held a view that most people would have found strange, incredible or unpalatable. However, because you bit only one bullet and avoided direct hits completely you still qualify for our second highest award. A good achievement!

Description of Two Wrongs Make a Right

2010-01-11T19:24:00.003Z

Two Wrongs Make a Right is a fallacy in which a person "justifies" an action against a person by asserting that the person would do the same thing to him/her.
This sort of "reasoning" is fallacious because an action that is wrong is wrong even if another person would also do it.

Examples:
-Bill has borrowed Jane's expensive pen, but found he didn't return it. He tell's himself that it is okay to keep it, since she would have taken his.
- Jill is horrified by the way the state uses death penalty. Bill says that death penalty is fine, since those the state kill don't have anything against killing others.

In my opinion the first case is an example of two wrongs make a right as a fallacy. It is wrong even if the other person would do it. But in the second case it's a bit more complicated. It is a moral issue that the death penalty confronts, and there is probably no right answer. I believe that since murders don't have nothing against killing people they should not be able to say that they don't want it for them. This is my opinion. Now, what do YOU think?

Description of Fallacies

2010-01-10T13:19:00.002Z

In other to understand what a fallacy is, one must understand what an argument is. Very briefly, an argument consists of one or more premises and one conclusion. A premise is a statement (which is either true or false) that is offered in support of the claim being made, which is the conclusion (which is also a sentence that is either true or false).

A fallacy is, very generally, an error in reasoning. This differs from a factual error, which is simply being wrong about the facts. To be more specific, a fallacy is an "argument" in which the premises given for the conclusion do not provide the needed degree of support.

Chinese proverb

2009-12-05T01:03:00.000Z

''The longer the explanation, the bigger the lie.''

does anyone agree?

Hairdresser

2009-12-01T20:03:00.003Z

What had made Vitoria turn down the chance of her fortune and leave the town so suddenly?

I think that a thought occurred to her. She thought about her own hair, because whatever she could do, she seemed to break one or other of the rules. No amateur hairdressers would be allowed, no one could cut the hair of their friends and she could not cut her own hair.

Does language play a role of equal importance in different areas of knowledge?

2009-12-01T19:24:00.003Z

Yes it does.
Language plays a role of equal importance in each area of knowledge because it is the only worldwide accepted form of communication.
To learn something, to have the knowledge, people have to communicate between each other. Communication allows people to share their knowledge with other people in any area of knowing.
Language is a communication tool. It can be written or spoken and it is important to realize that it is not only that but it can be divided even more in the form of signs and gestures, such as sign and body language.
To spread knowledge language is necessary. Academic searches and projects, music, movies and books, they are frequently translated into common international languages, to be passed on to the international community and even more, to keep it to future generations.
Therefore, language plays a huge role in all areas of knowledge. Just to have a bit of knowledge you need it. It is the foundation for knowledge.

Can an omnipotent God exist?

2009-11-29T22:32:00.001Z

The bible describes God as an omnipotent God, but there is a problem with that.
Om-nip-o-tent – adj.: Having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; all powerful.
So can God create a stone that nothing can destroy it?

Paradox:

If He creates a stone that nothing could ever destroy it then He can’t destroy it as well, but if He is omnipotent technically He can destroy everything.

Dangerous Ideas

2009-11-28T18:20:00.002Z

"The philosopher Bertrand Russel (1872 - 1970) once observed that 'In most countries certain ideas are recognized as correct and others as dangerous. Teachers whose opinions are not correct are expected to keep silent about them.' What opinions, if any, are teachers in your country expected to keep silent about, and to what extent can thsi be justified?"

In my country there are no ideas that teachers are expected to keep silent about. The only ‘’rule’’ is not try to impose it. They can talk about abortion and say what their opinion is, they usually ask us what do we think and that’s all. Religion is another thing that there is no problem in talking. It is not something that we discuss all the time, but it is not avoided, mainly because we don’t have that many different religions. If it is a catholic school, the teachers are nuns or priests so it’s their option not to talk about it.
In the end teachers can say whatever is their opinion but they cannot promote it and say that this is the right thing. And I think this is the best way of doing it. Each person has their own opinion and the rest need to respect.

Nikita's problem

2009-11-26T21:51:00.000Z

Chris told me to think about Nikita’s problem again, well I did but I didn’t have much progress. Something that I thought is that in the problem, one of Lau’s reasons is that if he loses, then he will have lost his first court case, in which event, the original agreement releases him from having to pay any tuition fees, but he lost the case so the law will make him pay, even though and because he lost it! On the other hand, Nikita has the same problem, because if Nikita lose then he can’t charge anything because the law said that he can’t, even though Lau has finally won his first case.

Homework

2009-11-25T12:38:00.002Z

1. In your blogs explain whether it is possible to have an unexpected exam.

I think that the teacher's definition for 'expect an exam' is that the students can only expect the exam if they know one must take place in ONE certain day and the students' definition for it is that if it’s possible there’s an exam today then they will expect it. The thing is that the students’ argument entailed them to expect the exam every day. So if you think like the teacher an exam can take place but if you think as the students an exam can't take place at all. There is no right answer, but two ways of thinking.

2. Research all the vocabulary given - two of the words are made up - which two? Post in your blog

- science friction
- somniscience

3. Make up THREE words and put them in your blog.

- brifalicious: adjective to describe something more than beautiful
- demasic: something fantastic, almost perfect
- chandology: study dog breeds

4. Read: (Nikita's problem)

So who's making the mistake?

They are both right. So there is no plausible explanation because they can't be both right. That's why it is so interesting.
A good way out for Nikita would be sue Lau for something that Nikita would definitely lose, and then go to Lau and ask for the money, if he doesn't pay, sue him again, because in the second time, Lau would have won a case so, this time Nikita would win.

Escaping Death

2009-11-23T12:47:00.002Z

Now Judge Stella had been doing the job for 20 years. In that time she had had many disagreeable, violent people in front of her. However Stella was made of stern stuff. She had never hesitated in sending people to the gallows. “Der Teufel steckt im Detail. “ she used to say – as she sent a prisoner to his death…
The prisoner she saw today was the worst, though. This prisoner was called ‘Rob-the-Philosopher’.
Stella didn’t know much about philosophy – and the title of this prisoner annoyed her.
Stella said: 'I intend to teach you the value of honesty, prisoner. You have been found guilty of being a crook and a swindler and of repeatedly and systematically lying to the court to try to save your wretched skin. Well, justice has caught up with you now, my friend. The sentence of this court is . . .' (here Stella pauses for effect and dons a pair of black gloves and a little black hat) ' . . that you be taken from here to a place of execution and hanged by the neck until you are dead.
. . . BUT, as I am a magnanimous Judge, I shall give you one more opportunity to learn the value of truth. If, on the day of your execution, you sign a statement making one true declaration, the sentence will be commuted to ten years imprisonment. If, on the other hand, your statement is, in the view of the Chief Executioner, false, the sentence will be carried out immediately. And I warn you,' Stella adds, seeing his words having no effect on the crook, 'the Chief is a member of the Logical Positivist Executioners' Club and will dismiss any metaphysical nonsense as false, so don't try any of your tricks on her! There, now you have one day in which to make your choice!'
At this the jury of Eric and Richard, Veronika, Nico, Abraham, Karla, Lau, Celina (now recovered), Vitoria, Andres, Ignacia, and Lau applauded at the severity of the sentence and everyone in the courtroom looks at the defendant, pleased to see such a villain get a heavy sentence, coupled with the humiliating public true declaration. But, strangely, the Philosopher just smirks back as he is led away to Death Row.
The day of the execution arrives and the crook, beaming, signs a declaration which is handed to the Chief Executioner who reads it with growing bewilderment. Then, snarling, she crumples it up and orders the Philosopher be released, with no penalty whatsoever to be ~imposed.

What could the prisoner have said in the statement to have saved himself?

Rob-the-Philosopher could have said '' I will be hanged in the future '' because if the Chief Executioner said that it is not true, the philosopher was not going to die, so he had to say it was true, and so the philosopher was released.

Farmer Richard

2009-11-21T11:38:00.001Z

At this point, dows Farmer Richard really know it?
No, at this time, he thinks he knows that the cow is behind some trees. But actually the shape that he saw could be his cow or maybe just a piece of something that got stuck.

But was he right to say that he knew she was there?
According to the book, Theory of Knowledge by Richard van de Lagemaat, to KNOW something this thing must be true. And in this case, Richard, the farmer, thought he knew that the cow was there but actually, after the dairyman went to check, the farmer only saw a piece of black and white paper that has got caught in a tree, therefore he didn't knew the cow was there where he tought, even though she was there somewhere else.