"It is only knowledge produced with difficulty that we truly value."

[Guest]

This is my practice essay title for my first IB year. I understood what this question is basically asking. But what AOK's can be used here is something I've been racking my brains for.  I suppose Math is one area but what specifically? In natural sciences? What factors ascertain the difficulty of the knowledge produced? What does "produced with difficulty" mean?

What can the claim and counterclaim be for this title?

Maybe i actually haven't understood what this question is asking for...

Help please!

Edited September 25, 2016 by Guest

[astonky]

I am also in my first year of IB, but I'll try to answer your question anyway.

For this description, I would be more specific about what knowledge can be, depending on what AOK's you want to focus on.

Eg. Knowledge could be to play a song expressively on the piano and move an audience

Or coming up with a theory in the natural sciences

Or writing a blog or a book or short stories

So I would define knowledge as a sort of skill.

One question you could raise is why taking 5 years of music classes may sound less impressive than publishing a best seller, even though the former may require a greater time commitment. 

You could also discuss what maked an activity difficult. Something that requires intense time commitment, or rather something that is emotionally draining , or perhaps physicaly exhausting?

 

[kw0573]

Right, just to add on to previous poster's comments, the question focuses on process of developing knowledge. With "value", avoid getting too deep into aesthetics but ground your definition of value to be as closely related to ToK as possible. It seems that you are only considered personal knowledge but don't forget about shared knowledge as well: "is it more or less valuable of knowledge if communicating it is difficult?", because in some senses, communication of knowledge is a key component of production of knowledge. Part of what the question is getting at is "is trivial (or mundane) knowledge less useful/true/important/effective/conclusive?" or "is knowledge based on the process, not the end result? if we come to same knowledge in different paths, is there a superior path?"

[chiara_12]

On 25.09.2016 at 8:50 PM, kw0573 said:

Right, just to add on to previous poster's comments, the question focuses on process of developing knowledge. With "value", avoid getting too deep into aesthetics but ground your definition of vwhalue to be as closely related to ToK as possible. It seems that you are only considered personal knowledge but don't forget about shared knowledge as well: "is it more or less valuable of knowledge if communicating it is difficult?", because in some senses, communication of knowledge is a key component of production of knowledge. Part of what the question is getting at is "is trivial (or mundane) knowledge less useful/true/important/effective/conclusive?" or "is knowledge based on the process, not the end result? if we come to same knowledge in different paths, is there a superior path?"

Which areas of knowledge and real life situations can be use for your idea "is it more or less valuable of knowledge if communicating it is difficult?"