# data[].attributes.body
Knowledge Question: Does knowledge always require some kind of rational basis?

RLS: The Greeks were one of the first civilisations to fully believe in the idea of an evil eye which can impact our day to day lives. My chosen object, a glass contained containing Greek Oil represents the knowledge about the evil eye that the Greeks used to and in some places, still believe in. They believed that Olive oil was a symbol of prosperity and an individual may lose their ability to do well in life but can regain it.

Connection to KQ:
In my opinion, knowledge does not always require some kind of rational basis. A major reason for this is the ideologies of the religion/culture that people belong to. It is often found that religion/culture leads people to believe in things which cannot be reasoned in any way. Other than faith and maybe emotion, there is really no other way of knowing which supports these beliefs, yet people continue to consider them as knowledge.

An example of this can be found in my chosen object. The Greeks had a very unique way of interpreting Olive Oil dissolving in water, which science defines as a very simple reaction. Especially today, many people would consider it irrational to think that one is having bad luck just because oil is being diluted in water. However, it was the religious and cultural beliefs of the time that provoked people to believe strongly in the same and hence, consider the dissolving of olive oil in water as knowledge of the fact that someone has been inflicted by the evil eye without having any other strong  rationale behind it.

This shows how not all knowledge requires some kind of rational basis, particular when it comes to culture and/or religion which tend to have a unique way of interpreting common everyday objects and scenarios

Citations:
Charmei, Amber. XEMATIASMA: Getting Rid of the Evil Eye, Greece Is, 17 Apr. 2018, https://www.greece-is.com/article/xematiasma-getting-rid-evil-eye/.

Don't Look Away: Discover the Meaning and History of the Evil Eye, Travel Atelier, https://travelatelier.com/blog/meaning-history-evil-eye/.

N/A. “What Is Kako Mati? 7 Facts about the Greek Evil Eye.” What Is Kako Mati? 7 Facts about the Greek Evil Eye, n.d., https://evil-eye.shop/greek-evil-eye.html.

“Olive.” EVERY OLIVE TREE HAS A STORY..., The Present Tree, 26 Mar. 2020, https://thepresenttree.com/blogs/tree-meanings/olive-tree-meaning.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "evil eye". Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Aug. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/evil-eye. Accessed 17 October 2022.

# data[].attributes.body
The object that I have chosen is a jar of Olive Oil, specifically Greek Olive Oil. Greek Olive Oil is known worldwide for its purity, but within Greek itself it serves a lot more functions than just for cooking food.

One of the uses of Olive Oil in Greece is in the process of Xematiasma, through which a person gets rid of an evil eye which they think is following them. If someone believes that an evil eye has attached itself to them, they go to an elderly in their household who perform a ritual to get rid of the evil eye. The elderly takes a glass of water and a teaspoon of pure Greek Olive Oil. They drop 3 drops of the Olive Oil in the water. If the drops become bigger and then eventually dissolve in the water then it means that there really was an evil eye but if the drops remain in their own circles then it means that there was no evil eye. For the person to get rid of the evil eye, he or she would have to sneeze 3 times right after the final drop of Olive Oil dissolves and then drink the entire glass of water.

This use of Olive Oil dates back to 6th Century BCE when the idea of the Evil Eye became extremely popular in Ancient Greece. Artworks were made which depicted the evil eye and several rituals were designed, such as Xematiasma to prevent people from getting the evil eye.

This use of Olive Oil was particularly confusing for me as I didn't understand why Olive Oil was used and why not any other oil or any other liquid, and what is the deeper meaning behind the Olive Oil dissolving in the water, and the sneezing? From my research I found that the Olive Tree is one of the most sacred things in the Greek Culture and in its purest form it is considered a symbol of peace and victory. The Greeks also believed that water engulfs us all and so if the Olive Oil dissipated into the water it meant that the persons ability to prosper in life had faded away into his or her surroundings. The sneezing meant that the evil spirit had 'bursted' away and now the inflicted was capable of living their normal life again.

# data[].attributes.body
Knowledge Question: Does knowledge always require some kind of rational basis?

RLS: Hindu religious and symbolic heritage heavily incorporates the sacred conch shell, and the Creator God Vishnu is always seen holding one in his right hand. Even today, it is believed that blowing a conch shell will cleanse the surroundings of any negative influences.

Connection to KQ:

In my opinion, knowledge does not have to always have some kind of rational basis, and objects can be created with personal belief, instinct feelings, and intuitions due to personal experiences faced. Religion and culture are two of the most essential factors that influence this which results in people thinking from that perspective only, without any factual theory or reasoning behind it. Other than faith and intuition there is no other factual evidence that can support the same.

An example of this is the object chosen by me which is the conch shell is how this was used and kept in a lot of people's houses as a significance of prosperity, and washing off negative energy in houses. No other evidence other than faith and intuition support this and other than these cultural beliefs, there is no factual knowledge that supports the same. The sound given off by the shell might be pleasant, but there is no such evidence that it helps with prosperity or good luck. Therefore, it is not necessary for knowledge to always require some kind of rational basis.

Citations:

“Vastu Tips for Keeping Shankha at Home.” Www.makaan.com, www.makaan.com/iq/video/home-sutra-they-many-benefits-of-keeping-conch-shell-at-home. Accessed 17 Oct. 2022.

“SHANKH.” INDIAN CULTURE, indianculture.gov.in/musical-instruments/sushir-vadya/shankh. Accessed 17 Oct. 2022.

McLeod, William Hewat. “Sikhism | History, Doctrines, Practice, & Literature.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 7 Feb. 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/Sikhism.

# data[].attributes.body
Knowledge Question: Does knowledge always require some kind of rational basis?

RLS: Egyptians were one of the first civilizations to believe in an afterlife. In fact, the canopic jars (chosen object) represent knowledge about the afterlife that the ancient Egyptians believed in, as they were used to preserve determined organs of the body ready for the afterlife. They believed that the preservation of the body was essential in order to enjoy eternal life.

Connection to KQ:
I do not believe that knowledge always requires some kind of rational basis for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons is religion / culture (1st TOK concept), as it often finds its reasonings that are inexplicable. Whether it be miracles or blessings, there is no scientific method of proving them.

One of the major examples of this is the afterlife, specifically how the ancient Egyptians interpreted (2nd TOK concept) this concept through the use of the canopic jars (chosen object). They represent knowledge about the afterlife that the ancient Egyptians believed in [2], as they were used to preserve determined organs of the body ready for the afterlife. They believed that the preservation of the body was essential in order to enjoy eternal life [4]. Their interpretation led them to remove these internal organs and preserve them in these special jars.

It may not be rational for some people to believe that the preservation of the physical body after death is required to enter the afterlife [1].; however, it was the beliefs of their culture that led made it rational for them. The ancient Egyptians believed that life on earth was only one part of an eternal journey which ended, not in death, but in everlasting joy.

This is how not all knowledge needs rational basis, as seen through examples of religion and culture, in which interpretation was left open.

Citations:
1. Dunham, Will. “Who's Your Mummy? Egyptian Mummification Older than Was Thought.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 13 Aug. 2014, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-science-mummies-idINKBN0GD1PU20140813.

2. “Egyptian Canopic Jars: What Are Canopic Jars?” Memphis Tours, https://www.memphistours.com/Egypt/WikiTravel/History-Egypt/wiki/Ancient-Egyptian-Canopic-Jars.

3. Garlinghouse, Tom. “Mummification: The Lost Art of Embalming the Dead.” LiveScience, Purch, 4 Nov. 2021, https://www.livescience.com/mummification.html.

4. Miller, Lisa. “Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife.” Time, Time, 20 Apr. 2014, https://time.com/68381/life-beyond-death-the-science-of-the-afterlife-2/.
5. Sarkar, Donna. “The Mummification Process: How Ancient Egyptians Preserved Bodies for the Afterlife.” Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2021, https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/the-mummification-process-how-ancient-egyptians-preserved-bodies-for-the.

# data[].attributes.body
This object is a shank. In Hindu history, the shankha is a sacred emblem of The Hindu preserver god Vishnu. It is still used as a trumpet in Hindu ritual, and in the past was used as a war trumpet. It is believed that when played or kept at home, it attracts good luck and prosperity.

They are found in many households, especially in the Indian culture since it is derived from Hindu history and a lot of people till date keep and use it in their houses, especially during festivals such as Diwali etc.

This tells and helps us understand the significance of this sound in the history of Hinduism and nowadays, the shankha is blown at the time of worship in Hindu temples and homes, especially in the ritual of the Hindu aarti, when light is offered to the deities. The shankha is also used to bathe images of deities, especially Vishnu, and for ritual purification. It might raise doubts as to how this may convey good luck and prosperity and what is the reasoning behind it’s hype. They were made in the late 15th century by Sikhs in Punjab.

Aforementioned, this object is most meaningful to those from the Hindu culture or those who stay in India, since it’s history is derived from there since they believe it promotes prosperity and good luck to ones lifestyle and family.

# data[].attributes.body
My chosen object is a "Canopic Jar," which were part of the ancient Egyptian culture. They were essentially containers in which the mummified organs would be placed separately. Most of the commonly known shapes of these jars are of the heads of protective deities called the four Sons of Horus.

The main purpose was to store the dead body's organs, in order to make sure that the person had them for their afterlife. The heart was often left inside the body as it was believed that it would need to be weighed in the afterlife.

As mentioned previously, canopic jars were first developed during the 4th Dynasty (Old Kingdom, ca. 2600 BC) by the ancient Egyptians. They have been found in tombs, as the jars were placed in the tombs with the bodies.

For me, it raises questions about the afterlife. Why would a deceased person need their organs to pass over in the afterlife? What use is the physical body anymore to them, if the afterlife is to be believed? According to my research, canopic jars represent how much ancient Egyptians believed in immortality, and not being restrictive to this physical world (beyond the 5 senses). They believed that life would continue after death and that they would still need their physical bodies. Thus, preserving bodies in as lifelike a way as possible was the goal of mummification, and essential to the continuation of life. The Egyptians believed that the mummified body housed one's soul or spirit. If the body was destroyed, the spirit could be lost and not make its entrance into the afterlife.

# data[].attributes.body
Fictional works, such as fantasy books written for young adults, often seem very out-of-this-world. Escapist fiction is fiction that provides psychological escape from reality by immersing readers in a "new world" created by the author. They don't follow the same rationales of the real-world, which sometimes becomes irrational for readers to interpret.

# data[].attributes.body
Tabloid pieces is an extremely interesting tool to use, depending on what your purpose is. Tabloid pieces often make a list of all the worst things that are happening anywhere that week, and instead of reporting it in an objective manner, it becomes very exaggerated. It sounds extremely impressive-sounding—but ultimately irrational—case that civilization has never faced greater peril.

# data[].attributes.body
These videos are excellent tools for researching new and different perspectives, with expert opinions weighing in. It is very useful to see how perhaps their knowledge is based (or not) on rational basis.

# data[].attributes.body
Especially looking at the more political and religious pieces of news, as they often contain "knowledge" claims with debatable rational basis. Otherwise, these articles are vetted by many editors and fact-checkers before being published, hence increasing the reliability of it.

# data[].attributes.headline
Resources that can be used to address this KQ:

# data[].attributes.subject
Resources that can be used to address this KQ:

# data[].attributes.body
Under this, we have chosen the KQ of:
Does knowledge always require some kind of rational basis?