Essay+Title+1

Back to Home>Back to Essay Titles In what ways may disagreement aid the pursuit of knowledge in the natural and human sciences? ** __Quote by__ ** ** __(Louis Macneice):__ ** And if the world were black or white entirelyAnd all the charts were plainInstead of a mad weir of tigerish waters,A prism of delight and pain,We might be surer where we wished to goOr again we might be merelyBored but in brute reality there is noRoad that is right entirely


 * __ Essay Type: __** A type 2 title that focuses on two areas of knowledge (1) AOK: Natural Sciences, for example, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, 2) AOK: Human Sciences, for example, Psychology, Geography)

**__Inherent Knowledge Issue__** 1) How easy is it to identify the ways of whether knowledge has been formed on the basis of conflicting roots? 2) Do both approaches to knowledge creation have their own strengths/weaknesses? 3) Is it essential to think of disagreements as breaking accepted conventions to be a “paradigm shift”, such as scientific revolutions?

4) What role do differing methodological techniques in each AOK form the basis of “disagreement” between each approach? 5) To what extent is it necessary to create disagreement to find knowledge in finding the truth?

ways may disagreement, aid, pursuit, knowledge, natural and human sciences
 * __Key Terms to be Defined and Discussed__**


 * __ Contestable Concepts: __** Natural Sciences, Human Sciences – disagreement aid the pursuit of knowledge

That disagreement leads to discovery of knowledge in natural and human sciences. But ultimately – what are each AOK trying to do? Discover the TRUTH! Is disagreement essential for this process? Why the need for disagreement? Can equally agreement discover the truth? And when is it apparent (through examples of AOK) that they both merge together because agreement in the pursuit of knowledge.
 * __ Assumptions in the title: __**


 * __ Rephrase the title to check your understanding: __**

Does conflicts between and within AOKS lead to insightful knowledge? Can differing/contrasting methodological practices in AOKs promote truth in knowledge?


 * 1) What do you understand by the “natural sciences”/ “human sciences”? Which theories or examples of discovery create knowledge?
 * 2) Are there boundaries between natural sciences and human sciences – where agreement has occurred or “disagreement” – where boundaries have blurred?


 * __Ambiguous Terms:__** in what ways, disagreement, aid, pursuit


 * __Action Terms:__** In what ways, aid


 * Being asked to decide on the basis of your discussion – which approach has great disagreements that has gained us greater knowledge in the AOKS you consider – though you will have to include that AGREEMENT is essential as well.

**__ Possible Examples __** __** Natural Sciences **__ Human Genome Project Big Bang Theory Evolution – Darwinism Plum Pudding Model/Atomic Structure Mendel – Genes

**__Human Sciences__**
 * Psychology** – differing perspectives and their assumptions, ethical issues and the need for this – through Milgram and Zimbardo’s study
 * Psychology as a science – shift of studying people as people – can this be scientific?
 * Nativism vs Empiricism issue (The Helmholtz-Hering Controversy of the 19th Century)
 * Differing approaches to explore a mental health and treatment (e.g. depression, schizophrenia) + the integration of perspectives for eclectic/integrated treatment
 * DSM (IV) Vs Chinese Classification System for Mental Illnesses


 * Geography** – Plate Tectonics theories, Map creations,

**__Resources__**

**__Books__** Mary Shelley - Frankenstein Richards, G (2002) - History of Psychology Gross, R. (1999) - Key Issues and Debates in Psychology

Mr Hoye's TOK Website (Good Sections: 1) Natural Sciences and 2) Human Sciences http://mrhoyestokwebsite.com/
 * __Websites:__**

Collection and Links to Amazing Conflicts in Psychology www.intute.co.uk