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#9 As an IB student, how has your learning of literature and science contributed to your understanding of individuals and societies?


Julia32

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i'm not doing the IB diploma [[i'm doing the IB certificate]] but i think i can still answer this question? haha, in my opinion i feel that literature has helped further develop my mind in a creative way by being able to relate to characters and/or situations if applicable. i feel that science has helped me pay more attention to the little things around me, like the environment and how i can preserve it [[ex: biology/environment]]. i don't know if this would also count, but social sciences like psychology have helped me further understand the complex mind humans have, and what can influence the way we behave and think.

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First think about what each culture thinks about Science and Literature. Do their beliefs or use of WOK's influence what they believe?

Also, is Science more of an objective concept, or does it vary with culture? Just because we have Big Academic Scientific Method stuff doesn't mean someone else is wrong. Or does it? ;)

Just throwing out some ideas to get you started. The base of the essay is on your perception, then make sure that your address perceptions of others. :S

Also, consider the assumptions made in the N10/M11 Title. Art is a Lie that Brings closer to the truth. Only think about this, because it's an entire essay in and of itself lol. I only put this quote here to help you with thinking lol.

Make sure that you bring the WOKs/AOK's in here too.

You can use Language for both of them, and maybe emotion.

Also, try to use the WOK's in an unconventional way. Sure, every examiner has seen an essay with Reason as a WOK, so try to put something like Emotion in there. :S

That doesn't mean you can't use reason; if you have a great argument for it go ahead that's just as good. But using other perspectives on science rather than a cold academic, (or a loopy nudist-painter) for the Arts) will help you.

Maybe try to tie in Reason for literature, and emotion for science. Both can do so, they're many times in my life where such happened. :)

Or you can just make up a life experience, but that's cheating lol.

Edited by Desy ♫
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the literature part is easy, you can talk about how every book can reflect a certain society, or individual.

some books show different people and how each one thinks.

other books focuses on different societies, and how they think within this society about themselves and people who come in from outside.

in science you can talk about how the environment affect the people living in it.

"Or consider how the environment affects the way we live. People have figured out ways of dealing with extreme heat and cold, depending on where they live. In different parts of the world, people wear different clothes, and live in different kinds of houses, and eat different foods—a lot of this is determined by the environment. And people settle in certain spots because the land is good for growing things, or because there are rivers to use, or because there's an ocean to provide food for them.

And this is a little more complicated, but the environment has determined how we evolved into humans in the first place (remember, evolution is all about living things changing to live more successfully in a certain set of environmental conditions)." http://www.sciencebuzz.org/blog/how-does-environment-affect-humans-0

i tried checking out the following but its not opening, i think this will help :)

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/58452413/A-Case-Study-using-Social-Scientific-Analysis

good luck to all

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I think a good idea too would be to compare the finding that of the natural sciences ( i.e Biology) and that of the human sciences which unlike biology has a more subjective nature. This could help s conclude how both give us understanding into societies and induviduals both scientifically and emotionally etc

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I have a question about what the human sciences are exactly? Or more does Business & Management come under human sciences. My textbook says economics comes under this but nothing about business. I thought it might because of all leadership theories we learn and such, but i just want clarification before i start writing an essay involving areas that are not related.

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The term 'individuals and societies' makes me immediately think of Group 3 subjects, but do any of you think it's ok to use Group 3 social sciences to talk about individuals and societies? The sciences I'm taking are chemistry and psychology, and I'm having difficulty relating chemistry to the question. Would it be safe to use sciences like biology or social and cultural anthropology even though I'm not taking the courses? I feel like the question is intended to be incredibly subjective and open to variation, but I also feel like it is not. :P

Edited by christran
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The term 'individuals and societies' makes me immediately think of Group 3 subjects, but do any of you think it's ok to use Group 3 social sciences to talk about individuals and societies? The sciences I'm taking are chemistry and psychology, and I'm having difficulty relating chemistry to the question. Would it be safe to use sciences like biology or social and cultural anthropology even though I'm not taking the courses? I feel like the question is intended to be incredibly subjective and open to variation, but I also feel like it is not. :P

Absolutely, ToK has no restrictions in terms of subject content. ToK analyses what how subjects classify knowledge and obtain knowledge, so its fine to use other subjects as examples even though you only have a basic understanding of the content. I disagree with your last sentence. The question is so open, would rephrasing it to this help? "How has your learning experince, whether through reading or experiments, enlightened you about human beings and their interactions with each other?"

For example, in chemistry you learn about certain processes which turn less useful substances into more useful substances (cracking, dehydrogenation, the Haber process ect.). What does this tell you about mankind? Just have a think; and during that thinking process, analyse how you came to a conclusion with refference to WoKs.

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Let's say I use Biology and History as a basis for science, I'm making the point that a lot of my History drafts and lectures have helped me understand the way cultures have rised and acted the way they have. Would History texts be considered as Literature, or rightfully in the place of Science?

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Engineering is the application of physics in society to do all sorts of work. Physics and theory are constantly being used to manipulate tools and get things done, and the theories are on our minds all the time (well, if you're a physicist) I suppose if you're really desperate, you could talk about the sitcom, Big Bang Theory.

As for the above post, I guess literature knows no bounds, and without restrictions, ideas are even more easily expressed and defined. Look up the use of magic realism.

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i found two really great quotes

“The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, but to set a limit to infinite error.”

“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.”

but i have trouble integrating and explaining them. can anyone please help ?

thx

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I'm still at the planning stage but I'm roughly talking about...

- different books allowing you to understand different cultures/time periods

- characters in books where you can understand what's going on in their minds (in first person)

- scientific theories (eg. evolution) that shape our society and the way we think

- technology that changes us and our society (eg. internet) - linking this a bit to ethics, how developments in technology aren't fairly distributed around the world...

However I'm not really sure how to link these to other knowledge issues and WOKs? Helpppppppp.....

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