Development, trade and aid by

A Salon article, which looks at how important it is to bridge the ‘empathy gap’ in order to understand the world from other perspectives.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 09:27:47 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What ‘empathy gap’ is explored in this article? What happens when we refuse to bridge empathy gaps - specifically, on our ability to understand the world? In which areas of knowledge is it particularly important to do so?

Key terms Empathy gap

A Big Think video, featuring a TOK regular Paul Bloom, who reiterates why he is ‘against empathy’.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 09:28:12 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Should empathy be the basis of moral judgements?

Key terms Moral guide, Moral capacities, Distinct, Rational compassion, Reconfigure

An Aeon essay, looking at six different narratives of the nature and effect of globalization.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 09:29:00 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE First, what are students’ thoughts on the effects of globalization? Which of the six narratives does this most closely align to? Do they agree with the author that these are each “narrative contains some truth but does not tell the whole truth”? How does applying a ‘fox-like approach’ help us to ‘embrace multiple perspectives’? Should we become ‘foxes’ in all areas of knowledge?

Key terms Fox vs. hedgehog, Perspectives, Polarization, Truth

This Big Think article deconstructs how maps are used to show the migration of people, and how their language and designs are often loaded with meaning.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 09:30:17 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Get students to study the red and blue maps, and see how their understanding of immigration alters. They could produce their own maps with the same data, experimenting with colour, icons, and other graphic representations. Overall, how possible is it to present data objectively? Do biases always interfere?

Key terms Objective data, Preconceptions

A long but useful Aeon article, discussing the extent to which we can solve ethical problems via mathematical logic.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 09:31:22 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How should mathematics not be used to resolve ethical issues? Why is it important that ‘moral mathematics’ is practical, and responsive to uncertainty? How can moral mathematics support longtermism? How convincing do you find the evidence and examples offered by the author? Overall, do you agree that “Moral mathematics forces precision and clarity… And it helps us draw conclusions from our ethical assumptions”?

Key terms Moral concepts vs. quantitative concepts, Decision-making, Practical, Uncertainty, Objective, Longtermism

A Big Think video, in which the philosopher Peter Singer explains how we could all use ‘ethical altruism’.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 09:31:29 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How does Peter Singer extend the drowning child scenario? What is the effective altruism movement, and why do you think it became a global phenomenon? What real and hypothetical examples does Peter Singer give of effective altruism, and do these make you question the extent to which you apply an altruistic approach to life? Why do you think there is a dissonance between the care we take when making ordinary purchases, and the care we take when donating to charity? To wrap up: Could you do more to become an ‘effective altruist’? What is stopping you from doing so?

KEY TERMS Effective altruism, Inequality, Happiness

A Variety review of a film about missionary John Chau, who died whilst trying to spread Christianity to the ‘unreached’ people of North Sentinel Island.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 09:34:48 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE Watch this trailer about the new documentary about John Chau, to gain a basic understanding of what happened to him in 2018. What two questions are asked about John Chau in the second paragraph of the article, and what does this reveal about the difficulties of telling his story objectively? How does missionary work differ from that done by anthropologists? What different factors motivated John Chau to try to make contact with the Sentinelese people? To wrap up: How should we balance our desire to communicate (what we believe is) useful knowledge with an awareness that that knowledge may not be desired or required?

KEY TERMS Biases and beliefs, Civilization, The Great Commission, Religious fanaticism, Imperialist agenda

A Guardian article, looking at how education is the key to unlocking Africa's potential.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 11:37:18 UTC

A Conversation article, looking at how war in Gaza is wiping out Palestine’s education and knowledge systems

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-04 11:37:48 UTC

This Smithsonian article tells the story of how one family is trying to revive the indigenous Hawaian language.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:17:49 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE What role does language play in shaping our identity and worldviews? What do we lose when we lose a language? Why do some organizations and agencies seek to deliberately destroy the knowledge associated with indigenous societies?

Key terms Suppressed, Culture, Forced assimilation, Worldview

A Guardian article, looking at how education is the key to unlocking Africa's potential.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:18:13 UTC

A Conversation article, looking at how war in Gaza is wiping out Palestine’s education and knowledge systems

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:18:37 UTC

A Guardian photo-essay by Lucien Migné, looking at the work of marginalised groups around the world whose livelihoods have remained largely untouched by the modernisation of work

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:19:53 UTC

A Guardian article, looking at how garment workers in Bangladesh face violent reprises when they ask for fairer pay and conditions.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:20:03 UTC

A Guardian article, investigating how garment workers in places such as El Salvador have lost out on $4bn of severance pay.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:20:15 UTC

An Aeon animation, portraying US immigration as rings on a developing tree.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:24:00 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE This is a rather beautiful way of portraying immigration numbers, showing them as the thickening rings of a growing tree. Is this a helpful way of communicating the reality of this political issue? What insight (if any) do we gain from this that we don’t from looking at straight statistics? Why do you think the creators of this animation chose to represent immigration in the form of a tree – and how does that influence the way we process the data?

KEY TERMS Political data-visualisation

A Guardian article, looking at how Egypt's nomad visas are luring foreign workers, but creating inequality.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:24:20 UTC

A Big Think article, in which Michael O'Sullivan argues that globalization is doomed.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:24:27 UTC

A Guardian article, looking at how garment workers in Bangladesh face violent reprises when they ask for fairer pay and conditions.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:24:35 UTC

A Conversation article, looking at the Red Sea Crisis, and how it creates a crisis for global commodities.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:24:49 UTC

A Guardian article, considering whether it's more correct to now refer to 'globalisation' as 'glocalisation.'

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-03-05 08:24:55 UTC

A Guardian book review, considering whether we need to reassess the concept of money, and its role in society.

theory_of_knowledge — 2024-05-02 13:21:58 UTC

UNPACKING THE SOURCE How does removing the term ‘money’ from our personal lexicon help us to understand the way the economy works more effectively?

KEY TERMS Widespread idea, Valid explanation, Counterintuitively, Evidence-based conversation

theory_of_knowledge — 2026-06-08 10:11:39 UTC

Check out our key concepts here, which will help you to apply a critical thinking lens to this topic, and articulate your ideas about it. These concepts are highlighted.