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Arguments and Examples to Consider

Arguments for this question are going to vary depending on how you view the key terms and assumptions in the title and the knowledge issue(s) you choose to explore. Below are a couple of ideas you could consider:
 * Affirmative: Historians understand the past through their methodology of multiple sources, evaluation and elimination of bias, empathy and filling in the gaps in the historical record through the use of reason. Human scientists use knowledge gained from observation and study of human behavior to diagnose social problems and suggest solutions for the future. They base these solutions in empirical observation and logical processes of deduction and induction.
 * Counter: Historians not only understand the past simply for knowledge sake but use that understanding to better understand the present and provide guidance for the future (Winston Churchill said "In history lies all the secrets of statecraft"). Human scientists also attempt to explain trend of human behavior and examine event in the past to gain understanding (i.e. economists evaluating the causes of the Great Depression). Human scientists are limited in developing solutions for the future because of the difficulty in establishing clear causality of human behavior, the dangers of reductionism and hasty generalizations, and the inability to predict future developments (weather, technology, ideas, etc...)

History as cycle Marxist Historians Hegelian dialectic allowing for an application of reason to the analysis of History Historian as a creator of History rather than a recorder By understanding the roots of China's development can we predict where it will go in the future || Psychology-teaching past case studies to understand current developments, social models of conformity Geography- Conflict between Malthus and Boserup, population models, tourist development, aid ||
 * = Areas of Knowledge ||= Examples to Consider and Further Research ||
 * = History ||= History is interpreted but is it ever understood
 * = Human Sciences ||= Economics-Futures markets, conflicting paradigms, inability to use past performance to predict future events, large variety of factors impacting consumer behavior, attempts to avoid recession despite theoretically impossible

__Development Activities__ 1. Explore the potential arguments using the TOK Essay Planner. Can you create a position statement on your selected Knowledge Issue?

2. Research 3-4 examples in each of the AOKs and attempt to articulate in 1-2 sentences how this example demonstrates your knowledge issue at work. Create a priority example list.

3. Attempt to add three examples to each AOK that you have experienced or are interested in further exploring.