IB Theory of Knowledge - an ongoing list of interesting finds

" Pascal’s triangle, which at first may just look like a neatly arranged stack of numbers, is actually a mathematical treasure trove. But what about it has so intrigued mathematicians the world over? Wajdi Mohamed Ratemi shows how Pascal's triangle is full of patterns and secrets." Pascal's Triangle

In this Guardian piece, questions are raised about recent claims made regarding scientific evidence and the impact of the media. A good discussion of HOW we know. No, research does not say that ‘iPads and smartphones may damage toddlers’ brains’

Linked directly to our class discussion on the symbolic power of language and the media's role in shaping the connotation of words. Obama: Why I won't say 'Islamic terrorism'

" Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding."

"Susan Sontag spent a lifetime contemplating the role of writing in both the inner world of the writer and outer universe of readers, which we call culture." Sontag :  “Love words, agonize over sentences. And pay attention to the world.” Susan Sontag on Storytelling, What It Means to Be a Moral Human Being, and Her Advice to Writers

"German philosopher, cultural theorist, literary critic, and unflinching idealist  Walter Benjamin  (July 15, 1892–September 26, 1940) explored this dance between information and wisdom."   This explores the role of storytellers in the age of information.  Walter Benjamin on Information vs. Wisdom and How the Novel and the News Killed Storytelling

Trailblazing Philosopher Susanne Langer on the Purpose of Art, How It Works Us Over, and How Abstract Thinking Gives Shape to Human Emotion “In the history of language, in the growth of human understanding, the principle of metaphorical expression plays a vastly greater role than most people realize. For it is the natural instrument of our greatest mental achievement — abstract thinking.”

In this humorous short lecture below, author Kurt Vonnegut explores how classic stories have a basic "shape" to them that makes them easy to map.  He submitted his thesis on this in 1965 to the University of Chicago, which they rejected and which made Vonnegut furious. In July 2016, The Guardian published an article entitled " Three, six or 36: how many basic plots are there in all stories ever written?" and in it, acknowledged that there is, indeed, truth to Vonnegut's theory that has been supported by academics who have run computer analysis on his theory.  The  researchers found there are “six core trajectories which form the building blocks of complex narratives.”  See their findings mapped out here.    Within it, you can s earch by titles for individual story maps.  See Vonnegut's amusing short lecture here:

" In the hours after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a lawyer sat down in front of a computer and started writing a legal justification for taking action against those responsible. The language that he drafted and that President George W. Bush signed into law - called the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) -  has at its heart one single sentence, 60 words long. Over the last decade, those 60 words have become the legal foundation for the 'war on terror.'" 60 Words

" How close can words get you to the truth and feel and force of life? That's the question poking at our ribs this hour, as we wonder how it is that the right words can have the wrong meanings, and why sometimes the best translations lead us to an understanding that's way deeper than language. This episode, 8 stories that play out in the middle space between one reality and another — where poetry, insult comedy, 911 calls, and even our own bodies work to close the gap." Translation

How far should lawyers go to provide the best defense to the worst people? This podcast explores the murder trial of Robert Garrow and a significant moment in legal ethics as his attorneys refused to disclose the location of the bodies of two of Garrow's victims.  The Buried Bodies Case

The Guardian describes this podcast as follows: " comedian and etymology enthusiast Helen Zaltzman's... fortnightly series is all about words, from the 5,000-year history of the emoji to the smallest language in the world." The Allusionist

"Privacy and legal experts across Canada say serious privacy questions need to be asked about an 'extraordinary' and 'unprecedented' move by Ontario Provincial Police to send text messages to about 7,500 people for information about an unsolved homicide."   See article and questions raised below. Police mass texting to public in murder investigation raises privacy fears

A look at what it is and why a global understanding might be necessary. From the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Centre for Journalism Ethics. GLOBAL MEDIA ETHICS

Yes, another NG post. They really do have some great material on a wide range of interesting topics! This one is a fun/creepy look at a dark period in history.  It is an interactive that allows you to get a feel for the extent to which human beings can go.  Can you survive Salem's witchcraft hysteria?

The National Geographic Channel ran a special with Morgan Freeman that focused on a broad look at the "story" of God.  On THIS site , you can find a wide variety of interesting tidbits exploring the nature of religion, religious beliefs, rituals and values. Some interesting ones include: How different religions see God Ancient Egyptian tombs and death rituals What philosophers say about miracles What do the world religions say about miracles? 

I found this one on www.theoryofknowledge.net.  With direct links to the upcoming USA presidential election, the piece is described as follows: " Social scientists investigate when and why liberals and conservatives mistrust science. The apparent split may be more about cultural and personal beliefs than feelings about science itself." How objective are our scientific opinions?

A feature article on the significant discovery made hundreds of miles away from the only other known Viking site in Newfoundland, Canada. " The treasure they discovered here—a stone hearth used for working iron—could rewrite the early history of North America and aid the search for lost Viking settlements described in Norse sagas centuries ago." Discovery Could Rewrite History of Vikings in New World

A new look at the Dresden Codex may change our understanding of the ways the Maya used the night sky to plan their ceremonial calendars. AN EXCERPT: By combining a new reading of the text, tricky mathematical equations, and field observations,  Gerardo Aldana   at the University of California, Santa Barbara has simplified the way Maya scribes would have corrected their calendars. “There is some really elegant math that’s going on there that has not been recognized before,” says Aldana. His work not only casts new light on how the Maya tied their ceremonies to the sky, it may also call into question every date we have for events in the ancient Maya world. Have We Been Misreading a Crucial Maya Codex for Centuries?

The website https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com has information on different types of faulty logic. Explore the website and their infographic below to see what you yourself might be guilty of!

Why do people see the Virgin Mary on a cheese sandwich or hear demonic lyrics in "Stairway to Heaven"? Using video and music, skeptic Michael Shermer shows how we convince ourselves to believe — and overlook the facts.

How does science work? Kind of like a pinball machine. Check it out! The Academy's Charles Griswold takes us through the process of science with an exciting new spider discovery. ( California Academy of Sciences)

An interview with author Tom Bissell about his book Apostle: Travels Among the Tombs of the Twelve  and his attempt to discover whether Jesus' 12 apostles were actual historical figures or merely characters in a fictional story. These 12 Men Shaped Christianity—But Were They Real?

An obviously controversial order given by a Canadian judge attempting to legally force a transgender 4 year old to dress according to a particular gender.  (October 14, 2016) " Medicine Hat judges ordered 4-year-old not to wear girls' clothes in public"

An interesting feature piece published on our ability to recognize flowers, inability to define them clearly. BBC Earth - "Nobody can really tell you what a flower is"

"In this short, writer Alex Bellos tells Robert how, from the very first time humans ever used numbers, we couldn’t help but give them human-like qualities. From favorite numbers to numbers that we’re suspicious of, from 501 jeans to Oxy 10, our feelings for these digits may all come down to some serious, subconscious inner-math….a deeply human arithmetic buried in our heart." (Radiolab) Radiolab - for the love of numbers

In this talk, Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers   and The Tipping Point , offers new insight into a the classic biblical-era underdog story. An interesting look at theory and language (storytelling).

Here is a very interesting presentation by data researcher and TED Fellow Jean-Baptiste Michel entitled "The mathematics of history" - linking two AOKs together in one talk!