IB Theory of Knowledge - an ongoing list of interesting finds

Read the articles below to explore the controversy surrounding the "van Gogh sketchbook." While a couple of scholars have said they believe the sketchbook to be authentic, the Van Gogh Museum have stated more than once that they do not believe it to be the work of Vincent van Gogh.  Both sides are being argued by experts in van Gogh's work and yet a consensus has yet to be reached. It prompts an interesting debate on the idea of authenticity in art and whether possible "copycat" artwork can ever really be appreciated as genuine art. 1)  Sketchbook Attributed to van Gogh Pits Scholars Against a Museum - NYTimes 2)  Van Gogh: Dispute over sketches book  - BBC News 3)  Van Gogh canon has long history of disputes  - Globe and Mail 4)  The van Gogh sketchbook dispute: Why it's so hard to verify art  - CBC News

"[John] Hersey began working on “Hiroshima” in 1945, when William Shawn, who was then the managing editor of The New Yorker, pointed out that, although the bombing had been widely written about, the victims’ stories still remained untold. After going to Japan and interviewing survivors, Hersey decided to show the bombing through six pairs of eyes. Originally, “Hiroshima” was planned as a four-part series. In the end, however, it was all published in a single issue, in August of 1946...The piece’s impact was immediate. Parts of it were excerpted in newspapers around the world, and it was read, in its entirety, on the radio." While quite lengthy, this piece is a haunting account of one of the darkest moments in the world's military history. Hiroshima

Published in 2005, this piece offers a case study via a "little piece of history" and attempts to answer a core question about the historian's role as narrator in their story:  "Whether as detective, judge or political analyst, how many hats should a historian wear?" The historian's many hats

TED 2013 - "Math is logical, functional and just ... awesome. Mathemagician Arthur Benjamin explores hidden properties of that weird and wonderful set of numbers, the Fibonacci series. (And reminds you that mathematics can be inspiring, too!)"

In my previous school, one of my 9th graders performed this poem during a poetry unit and blew the class away - a witty, entertaining and well-written poem that blends mathematics with the world of the Arts. "Performance poet (and math student) Harry Baker spins a love poem about his favorite kind of numbers — the lonely, love-lorn prime."

TED 2015 - "How does knowledge grow? Sometimes it begins with one insight and grows into many branches; other times it grows as a complex and interconnected network. Infographics expert Manuel Lima explores the thousand-year history of mapping data — from languages to dynasties — using trees and networks of information. It's a fascinating history of visualizations, and a look into humanity's urge to map what we know."

TED 2010 - Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic Magazine, debunks myths, superstitions and urban legends — and explains why we believe them. In this talk, Shermer "says the human tendency to believe strange things — from alien abductions to dowsing rods — boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are, and how they get us into trouble."

TED 2015 - "Cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman is trying to answer a big question: Do we experience the world as it really is ... or as we need it to be? In this ever so slightly mind-blowing talk, he ponders how our minds construct reality for us."

TED 2016 - "Unlock the mysteries and inner workings of the world through one of the most imaginative art forms ever — mathematics — with Roger Antonsen, as he explains how a slight change in perspective can reveal patterns, numbers and formulas as the gateways to empathy and understanding." A very engaging and entertaining talk, regardless of whether you are MathS minded or not!

In this piece in the Media section of the New York Times, we have a glimpse into the impact of irresponsible assumptions and media use. Considering the speed at which information spreads nowadays and the growing percentage of people who do not check to see whether the facts they read about are in fact verified or remotely  accurate , this case study offers poignant insight into the dangers of assumptions. How fake news goes viral: A Case Study

In this Washington Post interview, fake-news writer Paul Horner explains both how false news spreads, when this becomes controversial, and why he thinks he (and others like him) influenced the outcome of the recent US election. Facebook fake-news writer

Thank you to Lucas for bringing this piece to my attention.  Memory and eyewitness testimony come under heavy criticism in terms of their reliability, their bias and the way they are influenced by personal assumptions or experiences. This piece, by Scientific American, explores the controversy surrounding eyewitness accounts and the devastating effects these can have. Why Science Tells Us Not to Rely on Eyewitness Accounts

In this TedED lesson we learn about circular reporting and the importance of being CERTAIN of the information we receive.  In a ever-evolving digital age, it is even more important now that people learn to check for reliability than ever, as this phenomenon allows for the quick spread of false information.

"We don't just loathe inconsistencies in others; we hate them in ourselves, too. But, why? What makes contradictions so revolting - and should they be?"  (op-ed columnist Adam Grant) The Virtue of Contradicting Ourselves

In this blog post, author and astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, explores what separates science "from all other branches of human pursuit." He delves into the scientific method, ethics surrounding research and publishing, and varying degrees of "truth."  A very interesting and straightforward read. What Science Is — and How and Why It Works

"When people are dying and you can only save some, how do you choose? Maybe you save the youngest. Or the sickest. Maybe you even just put all the names in a hat and pick at random. Would your answer change if a sick person was standing right in front of you? In this episode, we follow New York Times reporter Sheri Fink as she searches for the answer. In a warzone, a hurricane, a church basement, and an earthquake, the question remains the same. What happens, what should happen, when humans are forced to play god?" Note : not an easy podcast to listen to as it deals heavily with ethical decision making and reasoning in attempting to determine whose lives are "worth" saving. At times, the real-life elements are a bit haunting. Playing God

Andy Borowicz, comedian and author of  the  Borowitz Report , a satirical news column now owned by The NewYorker, exexplores a rising phenomenon of    "fact-resistant humans who are threatening the ability of Earth to sustain life." In a piece that seems most relevant following the recent US elections, Borowicz's article sheds humorous light on ongoing criticisms of voters. Borowicz Article

An interesting mini-lecture exploring the connection between literature, language and arts - worlds and symbols that do not actually EXIST in our real world, and yet still have meaning and, to a certain extent, "truths" within our minds.

An entertaining and straightforward video exploring values attached to aesthetics.  Questions are raised about what art is , what humans are drawn to and how we evaluate objects or icons around us.  The presenter delves into philosophy and theory throughout to explore varying points of views on questions surrounding aesthetic value.

In this critical piece, review columnist Richard Brody explores what is "inadequate" about  American architect Peter Eisenman's Holocaust memorial, which consists of " two thousand, seven hundred and eleven gray concrete slabs."  Brody presents issues with the title, with the structure and the metaphorical and symbolic meaning of the 4.7 acre memorial.   An interesting look at criticism surrounding an artistic representation of a haunting human experience.  The inadequacy of Berlin's "Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe"

" The words that surround us every day influence the words we use. Since so much of the written language we see is now on the screens of our computers, tablets, and smartphones, language now evolves partly through our interaction with technology. And because the language we use to communicate with each other tends to be more malleable than formal writing, the combination of informal, personal communication and the mass audience afforded by social media is a recipe for rapid change. From the introduction of new words to new meanings for old words to changes in the way we communicate, social media is making its presence felt." Oxford Dictionaries Blog

" What trials unite not only Harry Potter or Frodo Baggins but many of literature's most interesting heroes? And what do ordinary people have in common with these literary heroes? Matthew Winkler takes us step-by-step through the crucial events that make or break a hero." An engaging illustration of the cyclical nature of the hero myth and why we might seek comfort from the same story being told again and again. 

In this column , journalist David Brooks explores what he considers to be a "cancerous" trend in politics - a shift away from a democratic, political approach to a desire for an "antipolitical" and potentially authoritarian system. Excerpt : " Over the past generation we have seen the rise of a group of people who are against politics. These groups... want to elect people who have no political experience. They want “outsiders.” They delegitimize compromise and deal-making. They’re willing to trample the customs and rules that give legitimacy to legislative decision-making if it helps them gain power. Ultimately, they don’t recognize other people. They suffer from a form of political narcissism, in which they don’t accept the legitimacy of other interests and opinions. They don’t recognize restraints. They want total victories for themselves and their doctrine."

A  very interesting feature article on what is known about the "experience" of death - both from a scientific/medical perspective as well as a personal observational perspective from the author herself. The piece presents a nice balance between what is known, what is inferred and what is still uncertain surrounding the process of death. What it feels like to die

" Over the course of human history, thousands of languages have developed from what was once a much smaller number. How did we end up with so many? And how do we keep track of them all? Alex Gendler explains how linguists group languages into language families, demonstrating how these linguistic trees give us crucial insights into the past." Lesson by Alex Gendler, animation by Igor Coric.

Christopher Kavanagh (an anthropology student at the University of Oxford) explores conflicting views on religion.  He focuses his studies on  East Asian religions, ritual behaviour, in this piece , he  poses the following question:  So is Japan just a non-religious society, like many surveys and some scholars claim? Or do we instead need to broaden our assumptions about what, in fact, constitutes religion?

A playlist with 7 TED talks on the evolution of language. I particularly liked the first two on the list - " Txtng is killing language. JK!!! " by John McWhorter and  " Go ahead, make up new words! " by Erin McKean TED Playlist

Written by Sidney Perkowitz, a  professor of physics at Emory University in Atlanta, this piece explores the ethics of using mathematics to predict human behaviour (and then act on said predictions).  The essay shares haunting similarities with Tom Cruise's film, Minority Report .  "In an age of anxiety, the words sound so reassuring:  predictive policing . The first half promises an awareness of events that have not yet occurred. The second half clarifies that the future in question will be one of safety and security. Together, they perfectly match the current obsession with big data and the mathematical prediction of human actions." ESSAY - Crimes of the Future Minority Report (2002) - trailer

In this essay, graduate student Michael Mitchell (at Tufts University, Massachusetts,  studying moral and political philosophy) delves into ethical theories to explore whether being moral actually means you can never do enough.  Theories discussed include Consequentialism and Altruism. Being moral

"How do you decide whether you ought to do something?  The  forcefully argued against this approach. According to ‘Hume’s law’(from  18th-century Scottish philosopher David Hume) , also known as the ‘is/ought problem’, determining what you  ought  to do based on what  is  represents a logical mistake because there’s a gap that reason cannot bridge between the facts of the world and the values you might espouse." Video - The ‘is/ought problem’

In this piece ,  Hrishikesh Joshi (a  postgraduate research fellow in the department of philosophy at Princeton University) explores the ethical decision making surrounding poverty and opportunity.  "A large portion of the world’s population lives in conditions that are hard to fathom for people in developed countries. Many of those living in extreme poverty would gladly move to the United States, the European Union or Australia if given a chance. In light of this, how should rich countries design and enforce their immigration policies?"

" Scientists have long known that there’s much more to our experience than the five senses (or ‘outward wits’) described by Aristotle – hearing, sight, smell, touch and taste. Yet the myth of five senses persists, perhaps because a clearer understanding of our sensory experience at the neurological level has only recently started to take shape. In this instalment of Aeon’s In Sight series, the British philosopher  Barry C Smith  argues that the multisensory view of human experience that’s currently emerging in neuroscience could make philosophising about our senses much more accurate, and richer, allowing philosophers to complement the work of scientists in important ways. But first, philosophy must catch up to the major advances being made in brain science." Video - Aristotle was wrong and so are we

An overview of how we can sometimes seemingly   "remember events that never actually occurred." Also known as  pseudo memory .  false memory syndrome

" Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus studies memories. More precisely, she studies false memories, when people either remember things that didn't happen or remember them differently from the way they really were. It's more common than you might think, and Loftus shares some startling stories and statistics, and raises some important ethical questions we should all remember to consider."

" The U.S. is a nation of immigrants. But historian Maria Cristina Garcia says many of us have lots of misconceptions about earlier waves of newcomers." A 22 minute podcast interview with Garcia illustrates the misconceptions associated with a historical  migratory  movement.  The Huddled Masses And The Myth Of America

National Public Radio (NPR) online has a section called "Hidden Brain - a conversation about life's unseen patterns." In this particular post, authors address the metaphor of the "broken window" and how it became one of the most influential theories on crime and policing in America - and also one of the most misunderstood and misused theories. It is accompanied by a podcast (30 mins) and the full transcript . "How A Theory Of Crime And Policing Was Born, And Went Terribly Wrong"

The Guardian  arts correspondent, Jonathan Jones, discusses why and how some critics will come to completely different understandings of what makes "good" art.  A good exploration of this ongoing debate with links to reasoning and justification. How do you judge art?

A website dedicated to information on modern artistic movements, styles and works. An interactive and user-friendly exploration of modern art. The Art Story: Modern Art Insight

This piece presents a top-10 ranking of Bansky's work:  A look  "at Banksy’s 10 most powerful works of social commentary that have helped make him into a one of culture’s most iconic—and controversial—figures." Bansky's 10 Most Powerful Works of Social Commentary

This website provides a straight-forward overview of the difference between these two theories , with links to the relationship of each to both natural and human sciences. Positivism argues that knowledge can only be gained through observable and measurable "facts" (leaning towards natural sciences),  while Constructivism claims that knowledge is socially constructed (leaning towards human sciences). A good/brief start for those looking into theoretical discussions of validity of things like WOKs. Difference Between Positivism and Constructivism

This piece focuses on the Edward Snowden case and its haunting similarity to George Orwell's dystopian fiction, Nineteen-Eighty Four. The post features artwork that illustrates the oppressive totalitarian setting within Orwell's novel and also includes a portion of the introduction to the edition, written by " Guardian  editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger — who broke the Edward Snowden story in a masterwork of journalism and stood up to real-life Big Brother by refusing to hand over Snowden’s data to the government." Haunting Illustrations for Orwell’s  Nineteen Eighty-Four , Introduced by the Courageous Journalist Who Broke the Edward Snowden Story

A very interesting look at how social media continues to change structures of language.  "One of the oldest forms of punctuation may be dying The period — the full-stop signal we all learn as children, whose use stretches back at least to the Middle Ages — is gradually being felled in the barrage of instant messaging that has become synonymous with the digital age So says  David Crystal , who has written more than 100 books on language and is a former master of original pronunciation at Shakespeare’s Globe theater in London — a man who understands the power of tradition in language" Period. Full Stop. Point. Whatever It’s Called, It’s Going Out of Style