TOK 'Language'

[Bishup]

My TOK essay title is 'What can be said for or against the view that if we cannot say something then we do not know it?'

In my introduction i'm attempting to captivate the interest of the reader by given an example concerning a multiplication where I mention that language is needed in order for you to be able to conceive the thought and to be able to carry out the calculation.

What do you guys think of this as an example? Reciprocally I'm going to mention how we are able to know without being able to say using quotes such as 'I know more than I can say' and give examples where thought can be conceptualised by image theory and then after that be translated into language.

I feel as though there are numerous things to touch on but not enough to write a full essay which is conscise and critical. How do you guys go about writing a TOK essay?

[Mahuta ♥]

I feel as though there are numerous things to touch on but not enough to write a full essay which is conscise and critical. How do you guys go about writing a TOK essay?

That's common when trying to start an essay. The important thing is making a clear plan and reading it over and over, things will come to your mind, even if you couldn't find anymore, as you're writing the full essay ideas will come to you along the way.

This is a TOK essay, so unless it's clear,organized and the ideas are coherent it's going to be a long essay of non sense.

I strongly advice you to make a plan before thinking about anything, it will make your life a whole lot easier.

[sweetnsimple786]

I agree completely. Make an outline of your essay first.

Some things to consider about your prompt. What, in your opinion, is language and what isn't? Can a painting express language? Are your unspoken thoughts using language? What does something have to have to be called language? What is language's purpose? These last two questions you'll need to consider to figure out what is and what isn't language. It doesn't matter what your textbook or your class says. What do you think?

I'm slightly unsure about what you're going to do. Are you arguing that if you can't say something, you can't know it? Or are you arguing that as long as you can express something through language, which may or may not include saying something, then you can know it?

About your examples.. If you have an argument, make sure you stick with it. It's okay to say that there are some valid counter arugments that you're not able to reject, just make sure you make a claim so that you're not wishy washy. There's a difference between open-minded and jumping all over the place. =)

You'll notice that 1500 words isn't very much. You want your examples to support the points you bring up, not the other way around. I think your examples bring up valid points. Just don't let the examples do the talking, so to speak.

[1-2-3]

'What can be said for or against the view that if we cannot say something then we do not know it?'

Were you assigned this topic or did you come up with it by yourself?

If it's the latter, I think you should re-word it.

Talk about 'Language' and how it might limit what you know... I think just last year there was an IB essay question very similar to this.

Edited December 24, 2009 by 1-2-3

[Bishup]

Well we were given a TOK booklet and as a conclusion to a TOK topic she sets us a TOK essay and it's up to us to choose an essay question from a bank of questions which she has given us. They are most probably all past questions.

I'm working on it, and I'm accumulating ideas as I'(m going along so it's good and writing it isn't to tedious.