Key+Words+and+Assumptions+in+Title+2

Back to Title 2

Key Words to Define and Evaluate "There are only two ways in which humankind can produce knowledge: through passive observation or through active experiment." To what extent do you agree with this statement?


 * = Terms to Consider ||= Definitions ||= Things to Consider ||
 * = Produce Knowledge ||= the creation of new knowledge about the external world (shared knowledge) and/or ourselves (personal knowledge) ||= What are the different methodologies that we use to produce knowledge in the different areas of knowledge?

Can some of these methods be passive or do they require active engagement?

Does produce mean to "acquire" or "create"? || What distinguishes observation from simply receiving an input of sensory data?
 * = Passive ||= accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance. || What is going on in our mind when we observe?

Can we observe and copy what we see? Are we still being passive or must we engage in some thinking while observing? || To what extent is this a passive process? ||
 * = Observation ||= an act or instance of noticing or perceiving. ||= What is the role of interpretation in the act of observation?
 * = Active ||= participating or engaged in a particular sphere or activity. ||= What is the knowers level of activity in an experiment? Can we passively experiment? ||
 * = Experiment ||= a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact. ||=  ||

__Development Activities__

1. Look up the dictionary definitions of the above terms and evaluate to what extent their different definitions change the meaning of the title. For words with multiple definitions, attempt to plug in each definition and see how it creates a different meaning. Select the definition for each term that feel makes the most sense for this title and add it to the above table in your own words.

2. Attempt to answer for yourself the questions posed in the "Things to Consider" column. Why are these questions important to answer?