Unit: Natural & Human Science

Subject: TOK

Grade: 12
Quarter: 1

Time Required: 1st Quarter

Date Updated: June 2008

Objectives:

Students will gain basic understanding of the scientific method(s) their strengths
and limitations.

Students will be able to distinguish the difference between the areas of

knowledge in the natural and social sciences.

Students will be familiar with the arguments for both determinism and free will.

Students will connect and discuss relevant scientific (physical and psychological)
theories with current events in the world.

Students will learn the basics of quantum theory and how these might connect
with recent theories concerning human consciousness (Hard & Easy Problem)

Students will be able to discuss the changing relationship between religion and
science

Teaching/Learning Activities:

Class discussion.
Socratic Seminars (one for natural science and one for psychology)
Oral presentations
Movie: What the Bleep Do We Know
Movie: Waking Life segment Free Will
Movie: The Primacy of Consciousness

Assessment Tasks:

Weekly short essay assignments

TOK Journal
Socratic Seminar
1st official IA oral presentation (psychology and history)

Resources:

Woolman. Ways of Knowing

http://www.theoryofknowledge.info

Vivek Bammi 2006 Workshop Booklet Articles

Craig Boyce 2001 Workshop Booklet Articles

See digital folder for more articles and relevant www links.

Teacher: Mr. Leland

Guiding Questions:

Should the natural sciences be regarded more as a method or more as a body of

knowledge? What is the core of science? Is it the method or the knowledge
gained by the method?

How similar is natural science to human science? To what extent would it be true
to say that human science is less scientific because its subject is more
complex? If we knew enough, could we predict exactly what people are going to
do? Is it only because theyre too complex that we cant do that?

Is science about establishing cause and effect relationships? How is a particular

relationship proven? What does it mean to prove something scientifically?

Is it reasonable to say that something is proven in science when it cannot be

disproved?

What might Poincare have meant by Science is built of facts the way a house is
built of bricks: but an accumulation of facts is no more science than a pile of
bricks is a house?

What is the role of science in protecting the environment?

Why is economics seen as a social science?

Learner Profile Links:

Inquirers : questioning their definitions of what is real and what is knowable

Knowledgeable: connecting scientific theories with daily life.

Thinkers: making differentiations between description and explanation.

Communicators: able to make on the spot contributions in class discussion

Open-minded: sensitive to the their bias and the bias of others

Reflective: able to overcome impulse thinking and develop logical perspectives.

Risk Takers: willing to adopt new perceptions\roles of religion and science.

Other notes:

This unit is the core unit of for Grade 12. It seeks to help the students connect the
ways of knowing with the prime area of knowledge in modern society.

Students will need to think deeply and abstractly when studying scientific
theories in various natural and social scientific fields but then connect these in
relevant ways to the history and ethics of society.