Wesley College

TOK Essay
Over time, knowledge has become more accurate. Discuss this
statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Charlie Joyce
Word Count: 1317
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To properly address the statement over time, knowledge has become more

accurate, one must first understand what the statement is concerning, and properly

define the relative terms. Firstly, knowledge can be defined as the concept of

humanitys understanding, or perception, of reality. Secondly, for knowledge to

become more accurate, it must further correspond with reality. Thus, the statement

that over time, knowledge has become more accurate can be rephrased as the

question of whether humanitys understanding of reality has become more accurate

with respect to reality as time has progressed. Once rephrased, a clear answer

emerges that humanitys understanding of reality has indeed become more accurate.

In the present day, we have a greater understanding of our world and the events that

take place in it, both past and present, than we have had previously. This can be

shown through examining the discipline of natural science. However, it must be

taken into account that if knowledge is to be defined as a collective understanding of

reality, then what if the collective perception of reality is based in a way of knowing in

which it is not possible for knowledge to achieve greater accuracy - the accuracy of

knowledge is absolute. Ultimately in interpreting the statement as a question of the

increasing accuracy of our collective knowledge to reality, to formulate a proper

response it is necessary to determine what way of knowing a society bases their

perception of reality on, and whether this way of knowing can become more

accurate. This will be analysed through the examples of the Natural Sciences and

Religion.

The accuracy of humanitys understanding of the reality of our world and our

universe has been greatly increased by the study of natural sciences. Throughout

history, the accuracy of our knowledge of the natural world has been progressively
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built upon the understanding held by our predecessors. An example of this can be

found in humanitys knowledge of elemental and atomic structure. In 420 BCE, the

Ancient-Greek philosopher Empedocles theorised that all matter was made up of

four elemental substances: earth, fire, air and water. This view was independently

arrived upon by many ancient people, including Indian, Mayan and Chinese. In 300

BCE the Greek philosopher Epicurus theorised the existence of indivisible and

indestructible atoms, from which all matter was made, however this view did not

become widely circulated. This was followed by nearly 2,000 years of little progress

towards greater accuracy, however the understanding of the nature of metals

increased. In 1605, Sir Francis Bacon published The Proficience and Advancement

of Learning, which led to the eventual development of the empirical scientific

method. Empiricism the practice of basing our knowledge primarily on sensory

experience1 had a significant effect on increasing the accuracy of scientific

knowledge. In 1661, Robert Boyle published The Sceptical Chymist, which rejected

the long-held alchemic consensus of the 4 natural elements. It instead theorised the

existence of elements as being the indivisible blocks of which matter was built on,

which could not be broken down by chemical reactions. Boyles work begun the

practice of modern chemistry. Over the following centuries, discoveries were made

of many different elements, which in the early 19 century resulted in the theory of
th

atomic mass. This was used to arrange known elements into the periodic table, from

which unknown elements could then be theorised. However it was not until the 20 th

century that subatomic particles were discovered, and so the accuracy of our

knowledge increased.

11
Psillos, Stathis; Curd, Martin (2010). The Routledge companion to philosophy of science (1. publ. in
paperback ed.). London: Routledge. pp. 129138. ISBN 978-0415546133.
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The progression of chemical understanding is reflective of the progressive nature of

humanitys understanding of natural sciences. Over time, scientists and researchers

have built upon the understandings of those who came before, and through this have

developed greater accuracy in their knowledge of the natural world. Furthermore, the

empirical nature of modern scientific study has meant that greater accuracy in

knowledge can be achieved through the requirement of evidence based theories.

However, the statement that over time, knowledge has become more accurate can

only be said to be true when a society bases their collective knowledge on a way of

knowing able to become more accurate, such as the natural sciences. For societies

where religion and faith determine what they perceive their reality to be, and thus

base their knowledge from this perception of reality, knowledge cannot become more

accurate as it is absolute. For example, in a society where the western empirical

methods of natural sciences are utilised, said societys understanding of something

as ever-present as the Sun is able to become more accurate. Indeed, knowledge

about the origins, makeup, role and future of the Sun has become far more accurate

over the past centuries, and further observations and discoveries continue to be

made in relation to this. Contrast this to the Ancient Greeks, who believed that the

sun was the Titan Helios, who rode his chariot of the sun across the sky each day.

While this knowledge was not true to reality, it was true to the Ancient Greeks

perception of their reality, and was completely accurate to this perception. In

summary, if a societys knowledge of their perception of reality is absolute, then it

cannot become more accurate over time.

This raises the question over whether knowledge can instead become less accurate

over time. Given the prior argument of the absolute knowledge of a societys

perception of reality, then if said society changes their perception of reality to utilise a
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way of knowing where there is not absolute knowledge, then is the collective

knowledge of that society thus becoming less accurate to reality, as their perception

of reality is becoming not absolute. This process is affecting much of the modern

world. With the growth of natural sciences and further developments in that field are

substantiating an empirically-based view of society, much of society is turning away

from religion. Their personal perceptions of reality have been based in their religions,

and their faiths, and this has meant that their knowledge of their own realities have

been absolute. It has been impossible for knowledge which is grounded in absolute

faith to become more accurate. However with the decline of religion, largely in

western countries, and in the growing acceptance of natural sciences as a way of

knowing and perceiving reality, these individuals are challenging their perception of

reality and thus the accuracy of their knowledge. While their new perception of reality

is potentially becoming more accurate to reality itself, the change from absolute

accuracy of knowledge in a religious-based way of knowing to non-absolute

accuracy of knowledge in a natural sciences based way of knowing means that the

accuracy of their knowledge has become less accurate.

Ultimately the statement over time, knowledge has become more accurate can only

be truly answered when there is an understanding of what knowledge the statement

is concerning. On one hand, if it is knowledge of the natural sciences as

substantiated through empirical methods, then it is certainly possible for knowledge

to have become more accurate over time. However for societies where empiricism

isnt what knowledge is based on, and instead a perception of reality is built on faith

in said societys religious traditions, then knowledge cannot become more accurate

over time as it is substantiated on the perceived absolute truths of reality. Moreover,

when a society transitions away from a religious way of knowing to a scientific and
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empirical one, then their own knowledge has become less accurate as their

perceptions of reality has gone from being absolute to requiring empirical evidence.

Overall there is not a definitive answer to the question this statement raises, of

whether knowledge becomes more accurate over time, but instead based on the

collective way of knowing it is possible for knowledge to become more accurate,

remain absolute or become less accurate as time progresses.

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Bibliography
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Niiniluoto, Ilkka. "Scientific Progress". Plato.stanford.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 8 June 2017.

Saiget, Robert, and Barbara Demick. "Tiananmen Square Anniversary Sparks New
Crackdown". Sydney Morning Herald 2009. Web. 8 June 2017.

Steup, Matthias. "Epistemology". Plato.stanford.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 8 June 2017.