TOK: Ways of Knowing Sense Perception

‘ He who has been bitten by a snake fears a piece of string’ Persian proverb

Way of Knowing: Perception Aims: To appreciate the basis philosophical perspectives and problems with empirical knowledge; To be able to appreciate when and why your senses are not reliable;

RATIONALISM VS. EMPIRICISM There are two major schools of thought or theories about how we know things. They can also be excellent technical terms or ideas to use in TOK essays. These two schools of thought are: There are two major schools of thought or theories about how we know things. They can also be excellent technical terms or ideas to use in TOK essays. These two schools of thought are: Rationalism and Empiricism Rationalism and Empiricism Each attempts to explain how we acquire our knowledge, i.e. how we know anything at all, in a different way. Each attempts to explain how we acquire our knowledge, i.e. how we know anything at all, in a different way.

Rationalists believe in a priori knowledge, knowledge that comes before experience. Rationalists believe in a priori knowledge, knowledge that comes before experience. Empiricists on the other hand believe that reason alone is not enough and that you need empirical knowledge, for the empiricists, perception is the source of all knowledge and reason uses the evidence that perception provides. Empiricists on the other hand believe that reason alone is not enough and that you need empirical knowledge, for the empiricists, perception is the source of all knowledge and reason uses the evidence that perception provides. empiricists then believe that all knowledge can only be known a posteriori, i.e. after or through experience. empiricists then believe that all knowledge can only be known a posteriori, i.e. after or through experience.

What are the senses and what do they tell us about the environment. What are the senses and what do they tell us about the environment. List as many senses as you can. List as many senses as you can. Do humans have other senses. Do humans have other senses. Look at the clip, how would the world seem if you used echolocation Look at the clip, how would the world seem if you used echolocation

Our senses tell us about the world, but our brain is in a ‘black box’ sensing nothing directly and dependant on nerve impulses from the receptors. It seems to us that perception is instantaneous and that we are passively aware of the world as it actually is. Look at the three clips above and try to decide to what extent we perceive the world as it is or as we think it should be

" INNOCENT EYE?" So what are the problems with perception as a way of knowing So what are the problems with perception as a way of knowing In what ways can perception be influenced by: In what ways can perception be influenced by: –Attention (we cannot process everything that reaches our senses) –Convention & cultural aspects (e.g. right angles) –Belief / Language (to what extent is we perceive what we expect) –To organize sense perceptions in our brains, we require, at the very least, Context Concepts Experience Interpretation

Look at the following clip and try to imagine how it must be to suffer from the conditions. From 11 to about 15 for face blindness and 16 onwards for object blindness

We could say… Our internal constructions may differ from the external world Or “The eye is not a camera”

Questions to Discuss 1. To what extent do our senses give us knowledge of the world as it really is? 2. What role does what we expect to see, or are used to seeing, play in what we observe? 3. What is meant by the saying ‘knowledge is the true organ of sight, not the eyes’? 4. Do you think perception is a more important source of knowledge in some subjects rather than others?