What is the Easiest ToK Exhibition Prompt?
Students often ask, "What is the easiest ToK Exhibition prompt?" And truth be told, it’s a bit like asking, "What's the best flavour of ice cream?" It really depends on your tastes, or in this case, your interests, knowledge, and experiences. But being the curious beings we are here at ToKToday, we thought, why not try to quantify the ease (or difficulty) of the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Exhibition prompts?
The Quest for the Easiest ToK Exhibition Prompt
Today, we're diving into the deep end of ToK prompts to figure out which ones are a breeze and which ones are more like Maths AA HL P3 (IYKYK). To do this, we need a way to measure ease or difficulty. So, I’ve broken down the challenge of a ToK Exhibition prompt into three not-so-scientific but oh-so-fun criteria:
Closed-ended Three-part Structure:
Does the prompt lend itself to an easy, three-part structure? Since the Exhibition is based on three objects, prompts that naturally break down into three distinct parts are a gift from the examiners. For example, Prompt #2, "Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?" can be easily divided into three responses: Yes, No, and Sometimes. In contrast, Prompt #1, "What counts as knowledge?" is more open-ended and thus, more challenging to pigeonhole into a tidy three-part answer.
Abstract vs. Concrete:
Is the prompt asking you to wrestle with abstract ideas or more tangible, concrete ones? Generally, the more abstract the question, the harder it is to pin down. For instance, Prompt #7, "What are the implications of having or not having knowledge?" is quite abstract. In comparison, Prompt #10, "What challenges are raised by the dissemination/communication of knowledge?" is far more concrete and easier to tackle.
Complex (Abstruse) vs. Clear Wording:
Some prompts are written in a way that makes you feel like you need a degree in deciphering hieroglyphics, whilst others are as clear as a sunny day. The clearer the wording, the easier it is to grasp. For example, Prompt #13, "How can we know that current knowledge is an improvement upon past knowledge?" has complex wording. It involves multiple layers of inquiry, making it a tough nut to crack. On the other hand, Prompt #2, "Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?" is straightforward and direct.
Ranking the Prompts
Based on these three criteria, I’ve scored each ToK Exhibition prompt out of 10 in each category, giving us a total possible 'easiness' score out of 30. This highly subjective scoring system allows us to create a kind of league table, ranking the prompts from easiest to hardest.
The Five Hardest ToK Exhibition Prompts
Starting from the top (or bottom, depending on your perspective), here are the five toughest prompts to tackle:
Prompt #25: How can we distinguish between knowledge, belief, and opinion?
This tricky prompt asks not just for definitions but for the nuanced differences between these concepts. It’s the philosophical equivalent of herding cats.
Prompt #7: What are the implications of having or not having knowledge?
This one twists your brain into strange shapes as you try to grapple with the abstract implications of possessing or lacking knowledge. Read more about implications at this link.
Prompt #20: What is the relationship between personal experience and knowledge?
It’s a popular choice but beware – it’s abstract and asks you to explore the relationship between concepts rather than the concepts themselves. Read more about this prompt at this link.
Prompt #13: How can we know that current knowledge is an improvement upon past knowledge?
The wording here is a labyrinth. It requires you to untangle how we can assess improvements in knowledge and what constitutes past and current knowledge. Read more about this prompt at this link.
Prompt #38: To what extent is certainty attainable?
Low scores across all three criteria make this prompt a formidable challenge. Tackling it requires a solid understanding of the nature of certainty.
The Five Easiest ToK Exhibition Prompts
On the flip side, here are the prompts that are like the sweet smell of graduation for DP students:
Prompt #2: Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?
Scoring high across all our categories, this prompt is the champion of easiness. It’s clear, structured, and lends itself to a wealth of illustrative objects.
Prompt #11: Can new knowledge change established values and beliefs?
This prompt offers a nice, closed-ended structure and is straightforward in its wording. Plus, there are endless examples to support your argument.
Prompt #9: Are some types of knowledge less open to interpretation than others?
It’s easy to break this into a three-part structure, and the clear wording makes it accessible. You just need to consider different types of knowledge and their interpretability.
Prompt #10: What challenges are raised by the dissemination/communication of knowledge?
This is the most concrete of all the prompts, making it easier to grasp and explore in a structured way.
Prompt #12: Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?
While it does flirt with the tricky concept of inevitability, its clear wording and closed-ended structure make it a relatively easy prompt to tackle.
In Conclusion
There you have it! The easiest ToK Exhibition prompt, according to my rather subjective criteria, is Prompt #2: "Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?" But remember, these rankings are just for fun and based on my personal interpretation. Your experience might be different, and that's perfectly fine!
So, did I get it right? Have I unfairly marked a tricky prompt as easy or missed a deceptively difficult one? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
If you need more help with your ToK Exhibition, check out the free & paid resources linked here.
Click here for the e-book Every ToK Exhibition Prompt explained.
Happy exhibiting, and may the easiest prompt be ever in your favour! Stay Tok-tastic !
Get the full table of prompts ranked by "easiness" at this link.
Daniel, Lisbon, June 2024