Is the Underestimator the Object or the Subject? (PT#4 May 24)
When thinking about ToK Essay question 4 ( "Why do we underestimate the challenges of the transfer of knowledge?"), I worried that students might focus on the challenges of knowledge transfer. However, the real crux of the question lies not in the challenges, but in the act of underestimating them. This (potentially knotty) twist leads me to consider who the 'object' and the 'subject' are in this question ? The keyword 'underestimate' serves as a pivot, compelling us to examine the act of underestimating and its possible underpinnings as it links to "ToK Essay 4".
Subject and Object.
A quick refresher:, the subject is usually the observer or the thinker, whilst the object is what is observed or thought about. The works of philosophers like Descartes and Kant have long grappled with the relationship between subjects and objects. Kant argued that our knowledge of objects is shaped by our subjective experiences.
Who is Underestimating?
In the context of underestimating the challenges of knowledge transfer, the 'we'—or the subject—becomes central. The challenges, in this case, serve as the 'object'. The underestimation, then, is not an attribute of the object but a function of the subject. This human propensity to underestimate complicates the efforts to understand and manage the complex process of transferring knowledge from one context to another.
The Object of Our Underestimation
Our knowledge of any object is complex and perspective based, involving many variables from cultural to linguistic contexts. Yet, the act of underestimation stems from the subject, possibly owing to cognitive biases, limitations in understanding, or even arrogance. The question compels us to look inward and question why we, as subjects, often fail to fully grasp the complexity of the objects we engage with.
Conclusion
As students contemplating "ToK Essay 4" or anyone interested in the subject, understanding that the issue revolves around why 'we' underestimate the challenges rather than what those challenges are is the actual challenge ! It's not just about the difficulties in knowledge transfer; it's about our subjective tendency to underestimate them.
Find out more about this essay title in the overview discussion with Gareth Stevens.
This is just a start of the type of overview that you can find in our ToK Essay 4 Guidance Notes, in these notes we get into why we (as either object or subject) might underestimate the challenges of transferring knowledge from one context to another . This year we have two versions of the notes:
The Foundation Notes fully unpack the title, explore different ways to approach the concepts in the title, and explain a number of knowledge arguments that could be used. These notes are 4,000-5,000 words.
The Complete Guide has all of the same content as The Foundation Notes, and in addition has fully explained real life examples to illustrate each knowledge argument.The Complete Guide also has evaluation points and implications for each knowledge argument. These notes are 8,000-11,000 words.
You can find essay guidance notes for all of the essay titles at this link.
Stay Toktastic my friends,
Daniel,
Bangkok, September 202