1. Knowledge Claims By now, after many years of full-time education and life- experience, you can, perhaps, claim to know many things. You should be able to see what good reasons you might have for what you say that you claim to know and choose to believe. These may include: TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues logic perception intuition Self-awareness memory consensus authority faith

2. TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues Knowledge Claims Here is a list of things that I might claim to know, and another list of reasons I might give to support these claims. Match the reasons to the claims. Claims 1. I know that the sky is blue 2. I know that 2 + 2 = 4 3. I know that it is wrong to murder a person 4. I know that I have a fear of spiders 5. I know that I went out for a run yesterday 6. I know that what the doctor said is true 7. I know that women are more emotional than men 8. I know exactly what God wants of me 9. I know that I am going to heaven 10. I know that the fjord is more beautiful than a rubbish tip 11. I know that I love my brother Justification Value judgement Faith Memory Authority Intuition Revelation Sense perception Logic Self-awareness Common knowledge Instinct

3. Knowledge Claims Rational Claims: justified by reasoning and tested for consistency Empirical / Observational Claims: about what we know through sensory perception Value judgements: right-wrong; good-bad etc. Unless put in observational terms, it is opinion (“It is cold!” is an opinion; “It is -15c” is observational) Metaphysical Claims: statements about the nature of reality outside physical reality that cannot be proved true of false by truth tests (existence and characteristics of a Supreme Being; reincarnation; heaven; etc) TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues

4. Knowledge Claims 1.Your friend has told you that a vending machine has just been installed in the Kantina. Do you believe her or not? Why or why not? Do you ask questions to evaluate the claim? 2.Your friend has just told you that the math test was difficult. Do you believe her or not? Why or why not? Are you more inclined to ask questions than you were in #1? 3.Your friend has just told you that she regrets not having studied harder for the math test and that she thinks she will fail. Do you believe her or not? Why or why not? 4.Your friend, obviously upset, has told you that a flying saucer has landed behind near Sweden House … and 15 little green men stepped out! Do you believe her or not? Why or why not? 5.Your chemistry teacher tells you that one mole of any substance contains 6.02 x 10 molecules. Do you believe her or not? Why or why not? 6.Your Math teacher has just told you that Math is the most fascinating subject in the world. Do you believe him or not? Why or why not? 7.Your parents have always told you that it is important never to be rude to your elders. Do you believe them or not? Why or why not? 8.Religious leaders have told you that there is a God. Do you believe them or not? Why or why not? TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues 23

5. Knowledge Issue What is a Knowledge Issue? Questions/Issues that help us to obtain knowledge Issues which hinder our ability to obtain knowledge Wherever there is a Knowledge Claim, there are Knowledge Issues TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues

6. Questions which may help us to obtain knowledge … TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues What? Who? How? Why? When? Where?

7. A partial list of factors which may help or *hinder our ability to obtain the truth….. Age Ethnicity Education Gender Nationality Prejudice Experience Beliefs Emotions Assumptions TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues *hinder: to prevent, cause delay, get in the way

8. TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues

9. TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues

10. Help What? Who? Where? When? Why? How? TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues

11. Hinder - or help? Age Prejudice Education Opinion Belief Assumptions TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues

12. Good Judgement Scepticism Open- mindedness TaK – Knowledge Claims & Knowledge Issues

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