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	<title>TOKTalk.net</title>
	<link>http://www.toktalk.net</link>
	<description>Talking about Theory of Knowledge</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:57:34 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>TOK prescribed titles May 2011</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I have compiled a list of questions which should help students analyze their chosen prescribed title question (Nov 2010, and May 2011 session). The presented questions are meant as a source of inspiration. Some of you may think that simply answering these questions is enough for passing the TOK essay. Trust me, it&#8217;s not enough. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2010/09/29/tok-prescribed-titles-may-2011/</link>
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		<title>Linking Arts, Math, Perception and Emotions</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Ifound two videos which illustrate the importance of emotions and perception in understanding statistics. In the first video, the speaker Hans Rosling uses animated graphs to visualize the development of different countries. It is a powerful illustration on how a visual representation (sense perception!) of numbers in the form of colorful dots greatly helps in [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2010/01/24/linking-arts-math-perception-and-emotions/</link>
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		<title>Ethics Video on Utilitarianism and Categorical Imperative</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I found the following video, which I would like to recommend as an introduction into Ethics. It is from Harvard University, the lecturer is Michael Sandel. The lecture covers Utilitarianism and the Categorical Imperative and is very understandable. The complete series contains 12 videos, each one about 1 hour long.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/12/27/ethics-video-on-utilitarianism-and-categorical-imperative/</link>
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		<title>Excellent TOK Videos (German)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here is a recommendation of several 15 minute videos (in German) with direct TOK relevancy.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/12/27/excellent-tok-videos-german/</link>
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		<title>Reflections on a TOK Presentation that made me think</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A few days ago one of my students had her TOK presentation which sparked a thoughtful classroom discussion that filled nearly two periods. For me, as a TOK teacher, both the presentation and the follow-up discussion were a great enjoyment: both reflected the "TOK spirit" of a balanced insightful exploration of the topic. ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/12/26/reflections-on-a-tok-presentation-that-made-me-think/</link>
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		<title>When can we be absolutely certain that something is true?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[One of my most favorite responses to questions from students is: &#8220;It depends on how you see it.&#8221; To many of my students this response can be quite frustrating at times. &#8220;Why can he not give us a clear, clean, yes/no answer to a simple question? Why does he always want to explore the &#8216;grey [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/12/20/when-can-we-be-absolutely-certain-that-something-is-true/</link>
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		<title>Linking Questions: History and Ways of Knowing</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Linking the different Areas of Knowledge (AOK) with different Ways of Knowing (WOK) can be quite challenging at times. I now attempted to link History with Language, Logics, Emotion and Sense Perception. History and Language: Does the way (the language) that certain historical events are presented in history books influence the way that the reader [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/12/20/linking-questions-history-and-ways-of-knowing/</link>
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		<title>Of Science, Math and Beauty</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In this post I'm pondering on the relationship between math and beauty. Can math be beautiful as well? And what is beauty in the first place?]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/12/15/of-science-math-and-beauty/</link>
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		<title>What are the four Ways of Knowing (WOKs)?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In this post, a quick introduction into the four Ways of Knowing (WOK)! ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/12/06/what-are-the-four-ways-of-knowing-woks/</link>
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		<title>TOKTalk Reflections</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Readers of TOKTalk have probably already noticed that I&#8217;ve been experimenting around with the layout of the website &#8211; and that I&#8217;ve still not settled for a final design. The square pictures are now back where they originally were (on the right side) and the advertisements at the top in the individual posts are now [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/11/30/toktalk-reflections/</link>
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		<title>Does Language Influence our View of the World?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We use language to describe our subjective perception of the world. If I say "I feel cold", then I use language to describe how I feel. This is nothing new. The interesting question now is: does it also work the other way around? Can the language that we use influence the way that we perceive and view things?]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/11/22/does-language-influence-our-view-of-the-world/</link>
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		<title>Starting and Planning the TOK Essay</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Structuring the TOK essay is an essential component for obtaining many points on the essay. This post illustrates the first steps.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/11/20/starting-and-planning-the-tok-essay/</link>
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		<title>Theory-based TOK Syllabus</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I've compiled a list of theoretical TOK topics which may help teachers in preparing their course. The list of topics may also prove useful for providing a theoretical basis for the essay or presentation. The list is quite different from the IB TOK guide and focuses mainly on epistemological theory.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/10/31/theory-based-tok-syllabus/</link>
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		<title>What are Knowledge Issues or Problems of Knowledge?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here I'll show you (yet again!) how to identify Knowledge Issues or Problems of Knowledge (KI/POK) for the TOK Presentation. It's not easy to define what KI/POKs are, because the terms are so broad and can include many different aspects.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/10/31/what-are-knowledge-issues-or-problems-of-knowledge/</link>
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		<title>What is Logical Positivism?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Logical Positivism was one of the most important schools of philosophy of science in the beginning 20th century. The "Vienna Circle", a group of scientists, mathematicians and philosophers, contributed greatly in promoting this philosophical view. A positivist is a person who only accepts sense perception or experience as the only source of knowledge of the world.  Why is empirical evidence considered to be so much more valuable than other ways of knowing?]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/10/27/what-is-logical-positivism/</link>
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		<title>What is the Title of this Episode?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A paradox is a self-contradictory or self-referential statement. In this episode we're going to have a look at several examples.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/09/08/what-is-the-title-of-this-episode/</link>
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		<title>How can Math be Right and Wrong at the Same Time?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[To what extent does math reflect the real world? Some mathematical equations deliver results that have no connection to reality.  This episode applies the correspondence and coherence theory of truth to the area of mathematics.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/08/23/how-can-math-be-right-and-wrong-at-the-same-time/</link>
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		<title>Of Justified True Belief and the Snouters</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In this episode, I'm going to apply Plato's definition of knowledge (justified true belief) to the recently discovered mammals, the <em>Rhinogradentia</em>. Can you know that they existed?]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/08/20/of-justified-true-belief-and-the-snouters/</link>
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		<title>TOK Essay Prescribed Titles &#8211; May 2010</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here are some (possible) guiding questions to help you deal with the TOK Essay titles.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/08/18/tok-essay-prescribed-titles-may-2010/</link>
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		<title>The Egg of Columbus</title>
		<description><![CDATA[How do you balance an egg on its pointed side without any extra help? Many problems appear easy, once you know how to solve them. Often hidden assumptions prevent us from solving a particular problem, however.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/08/14/the-egg-of-columbus/</link>
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		<title>What is the Age of Enlightenment?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Enlightenment is the courage to use your own brain. Sapre Aude! Dare to Know!]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/08/07/what-is-enlightenment/</link>
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		<title>Of Arts and Ethics</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I'll be exploring the relationship between arts and ethics. Is it necessary for art to go against moral and ethical conventions in order to be considered "good" art? Where are the limits to the freedom of expression of art? In this episode I'll be asking questions, and not give answers!]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/08/06/of-arts-and-ethics/</link>
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		<title>Is the Word &#8220;scientific&#8221; Overused?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In this edition I want to give a little warning. Sometimes the words "science" or "scientific" are used to increase the value of certain claims, even if the use of these terms is not justified.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/08/05/is-the-word-scientific-overused/</link>
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		<title>What are Some Problems with Conspiracy Theories?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There are several problems with conspiracy theories, which are outlined in this episode.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/08/05/what-are-some-problems-with-conspiracy-theories/</link>
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		<title>TOK Essay FAQ</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This post addresses several Questions in relation to the TOK Essay.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/06/14/tok-essay-faq/</link>
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		<title>On the Purpose of Life</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) and the purpose of life. ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2009/06/14/on-the-purpose-of-life/</link>
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		<title>On Relativism and Constructivism</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In this episode I'm going to explain the differences between the philosophical concepts of relativism and constructivism.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/12/28/on-relativism-and-constructivism/</link>
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		<title>Six Jokes in Seven Minutes</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here is a collection of six (hopefully intelligent) jokes that count to my favorites. I don't know if you consider them funny or not, in any case they should give you something to think as well.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/12/10/six-jokes-in-seven-minutes/</link>
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		<title>TOK Essay Checklist</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here is a short checklist of points to watch out for when writing the TOK Essay.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/12/10/tok-essay-checklist/</link>
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		<title>Newspaper Articles &#8211; Does Size Matter?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[How does the optical appearance of a newspaper article, the size of the headlines, the size of the pictures, influence its perception by the readers? How does the context in which a newspaper article appears influence its perception of its content by the readers?]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/12/03/newspaper-articles-does-size-matter/</link>
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		<title>How Biased are History Books? Are They?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Are history books telling us the full story of the past? Can they tell us the full story at all? Why is it that so many history books focus on the "big players", the kings and rulers, the big events, big politics? What about the "normal" people?]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/12/02/how-biased-are-history-books-are-they/</link>
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		<title>Of Ghost Traps and Wrist Watches</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Ghost traps are very useful devices - they can be used to catch evil spirits. You say ghosts do not exist? You say that they are a product of our imagination? Well... do you believe in time? Could it not be that time is a product of our imagination as well?]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/11/30/of-ghost-traps-and-wrist-watches/</link>
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		<title>Three Different Types of Truth</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here I will explain the differences between the Correspondence Theory of truth, the Coherence Theory and the Pragmatic Theory.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/11/09/three-different-types-of-truth/</link>
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		<title>The TOK Presentation &#8211; Possibility 2</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The TOK Presentation: A second possible approach for planning the presentation.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/10/27/the-tok-presentation-possibility-2/</link>
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		<title>The TOK Presentation &#8211; Possibility 1</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The TOK Presentation: A 7-step approach for planning the presentation. This approach is suitable for students who have no idea where to start.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/10/26/the-tok-presentation-possibility-1/</link>
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		<title>Different types of knowledge</title>
		<description><![CDATA[What are the differences between declarative and procedural knowledge? Declarative knowledge is the knowledge of facts, procedural knowledge is the knowledge on "how to" do something. For example: I know that 5+5=10 (declarative) and I know how to calculate (procedural).]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/07/14/different-types-of-knowledge/</link>
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		<title>TOK Essay &#8211; The First Steps: Identifying Knowledge Issues</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Some prescribed TOK essay titles may require you to find a knowledge issue or a problem of knowledge which relates to the title. Sometimes there are several hidden issues. How can you find them? This edition should motivate you to play with ideas to find a possible hidden knowledge issue.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/07/09/tok-essay-the-first-steps-identifying-knowledge-issues/</link>
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		<title>What is Knowledge?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Plato defined knowledge as "Justified true belief". For a person to know something he/she has to believe it, has to be able to justify it and it has to be true. This is explained here.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/06/21/what-is-knowledge/</link>
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		<title>TOK Essay Marking Critieria &#8211; Introduction</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The TOK Essay is marked against 4 criteria (A-D). I will explain these criteria to sensitize you on what to look out for when you write the essay.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/02/08/tok-essay-marking-critieria-introduction/</link>
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		<title>What is the &#8220;4-Ears Model&#8221; of Communication?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to Psychologist Friedmann Schulz von Thun, when a person talks to another person he/she is passing on four different messages. This communication model is called the "4 Ears Model" and is useful in understanding why people misunderstand each other.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/02/08/what-is-the-4-ears-model-of-communication/</link>
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		<title>TOK Essay: Common Problems</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There are some common, recurring problems with the TOK Essay. The prescribed title question is not answered explicitly, the examples are not explained, the essay is not organized, the..... Here is an overview of the most common problems.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/01/13/tok-essay-common-problems/</link>
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		<title>What are Formal Systems?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Introduced here: the MIU puzzle as an example of a formal system. A formal system is composed of axioms, to which rules of inference are applied to produce theorems to which the rules can be applied again. Confused? Try to MIU puzzle yourself - it's fun!]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/01/09/what-are-formal-systems/</link>
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		<title>What are the differences between Facts, Theories and Opinions?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The terms facts, theories and opinions are often confused. The objective of this edition is to clarify these terms. Facts are observations or measurements from an experiment, theories are the explanation of these facts, while opinions are assessments or evaluations.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/01/04/what-are-the-differences-between-facts-theories-and-opinions/</link>
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		<title>What is Determinism?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Determinism refers to the idea that the future is not up to chance, the future can be predicted. Determinists claim that if you had sufficient knowledge of the current situation, then you could in theory predict the behavior of a system into the future. Certain systems are indeed deterministic, many others are not.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2008/01/04/what-is-determinism/</link>
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		<title>What are Thought Experiments?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It is not always necessary to conduct real-life experiments to reach a valid scientific conclusion. Thought experiments may in some cases also suffice. In this edition I will illustrate you a thought experiment from physics. In a vacuum, all objects accelerate the same way and they both have the same  velocity. Heavy objects will not fall faster. But how can we test this? We do not have a large vacuum chamber to test this. A thought experiment can be useful in this case.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2007/12/24/what-are-thought-experiments/</link>
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		<title>Why are Simpler Explanations Usually Better?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[According to Wiliam of Ockham (c. 1288 - c. 1347), if there are competing explanations for a phenomenon, the simpler explanation is to be preferred. The simpler explanation is often the correct one. It can be summarized as "With all other things being equal the simpler solution is the better one." Simpler explanations rely on fewer assumptions which can not be proven or disproven.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2007/12/24/why-are-simpler-explanations-usually-better/</link>
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		<title>What is the Scientific Method?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[If we want to reach an objective description of our world, then we need to reduce these subjective influences. We need standardized procedures in gaining further knowledge of our world. The scientific method is such a standardized procedure in gaining further knowledge in the natural sciences.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2007/12/24/what-is-the-scientific-method/</link>
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		<title>What is Falsification?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In this edition of TOK-TALK we will talk about Karl Poppers contributions to the philosophy of science. Sir Reimund Karl Popper is considered to be one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, and of course it is difficult, if not impossible to summarize his contributions in a few minutes (or a few lines). Where should you draw the line between the sciences and the pseudosciences? What characterizes scientific theories?  In this edition we will have a look at the falsification principle which offers an answer to these questions.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2007/12/24/what-is-falsification/</link>
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		<title>What is the Observer Effect?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Every measurement changes the object that we want to measure. This is called the Observer Effect. When we stick a thermometer into a glass of water to measure its temperature, then the thermometer will change the temperature of the water as well. Similar effects can be observed when measuring voltage or current in electrical circuits. Also in the social sciences we have a similar problem: people will not behave naturally when they feel that they are observed.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2007/12/24/what-is-the-observer-effect/</link>
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		<title>What are Ethical Dilemmas?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In this edition we will have a look at ethical dilemmas. What are they? What are some different opinions in making an ethical choice? There are several schools of thought in finding a solution to an ethical dilemma. The consequentialist school maintains that actions are either moral or immoral depending on the outcome (the consequence) of the action. An action is morally right, if it results in an increase in the overall happiness for the people.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2007/12/24/what-are-ethical-dilemmas/</link>
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		<title>What is the Mpemba Effect?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In this edition I would like to explain why hot water freezes faster than cold water, when put into the freezer. It is a very counter-intuitive observation, it's a paradox. This is called the Mpemba Effect. ]]></description>
		<link>http://www.toktalk.net/2007/12/24/what-is-the-mpemba-effect/</link>
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