1. How do we get to things that we can be said to know?
Ways of Knowing
How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

2. Ways of Knowing
We’ve spent the last few lessons at precisely what it is knowledge is, and when we can be said to have it
Now we’re going to look in more depth about the way we get at those pieces of knowledge, the ways in which we can be said to know
The Theory Of Knowledge board identifies 8 different ways in which you might come about knowing something
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

3. Ways of Knowing The 8 ways of knowing: Emotion Faith Imagination
Intuition
Language
Memory
Reason
Sense perception
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

4. Ways of Knowing
Think of one ‘truth’ or piece of knowledge that you have that you gained using each one of these methods.
Some, like Memory and Sense Perception, might be easier, others might need a little work
Ask if you’re unsure
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

5. Ways of Knowing
Today we are going to be looking at one way of knowing in particular:
Sense perception
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

6. Ways of Knowing Consider the sentence “I’m in pain”
Is it ever possible to be wrong about that?
You can be lying, definitely, but is it ever possible to be mistaken about the fact you are in pain?
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

7. Ways of Knowing
We make conclusions from our sensory perceptions of the world ALL THE TIME
Your favourite food, your sense of dress, whether you’re attracted to someone or not, these are all important pieces of knowledge, and we make them using information we gain from our surroundings
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

8. Ways of Knowing
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

9. Ways of Knowing What did you think the dress was? Blue or Black?
White or Gold?
Do you think this has any impact on our certainty when we say we ‘know’ something via sense perception?
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

10. Ways of Knowing
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

11. Ways of Knowing
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

12. Ways of Knowing Sometimes our senses can lead us to false conclusions
Certain people have argued that this is a reason for us not to trust our senses at all.
What do you think?
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

13. Ways of Knowing Look at your list of ways of knowing
Write the list out again, but this time rank them, from the ones you think you gain the most certain truths from at the top, to the ones you are least certain about at the bottom
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

14. Ways of Knowing Look at the blocks in front of you
Can you work out how the illusion works?
Think about in detail what kinds of ways you are thinking, and what types of knowledge you are using
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?

15. Ways of Knowing Key Points:
We can be certain about our sense perceptions as they impact ourselves, e.g. I would always know what my favourite colour was.
However, when we use these perceptions to make conclusions about the external world, we can sometimes be mistaken
KLQ: How do we get to things that we can be said to know?