IB ToK Essay Titles and Topics: November 2020

Here are links to ideas and suggestions relating to the the six November 2020 IB ToK Essay topics:

• Topic 1. "If a disagreement about knowledge claims needs to be resolved, then it is essential to give equal attention to both sides." Under what circumstances is this good advice?
• Topic 2. "Understanding something requires being able to answer ‘What if…?’ questions about it." To what extent do you agree with this statement?
• Topic 3. "Too much of our knowledge revolves around ourselves, as if we are the most important thing in the universe" (adapted from Carlo Rovelli). Why might this be problematic?
• Topic 4. "The process of gaining knowledge is more valuable than reaching an end result." Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.
• Topic 5. "The questions we can ask depend more on what we already know than on what we do not know." Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.
• Topic 6. "Reliable knowledge can lack certainty." Explore this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

I briefly mention some points to consider for each topic below; however, the personalised service I offer is tailored to each student.

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If you require personal help choosing your November 2020 ToK essay topics, I'd be delighted to receive your email; I'll send details of my services and fees:

Title 1: "If a disagreement about knowledge claims needs to be resolved, then it is essential to give equal attention to both sides." Under what circumstances is this good advice?

Thoughts to consider with essay 1 include:

• might some knowledge claims have more than one side?
• the distinction between rational and non-rational agreement
• proofs resolve disagreement about knowledge claims, what else does?

If you require tailored help with topic 1 of the Nov 2020 ToK essay titles, then I'd be delighted to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 2: "Understanding something requires being able to answer ‘What if…?’ questions about it." To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Thoughts to consider with essay 2 include:

• the nature of counterfactual reasoning
• the role of the imagination in 'what if' thinking
• the varieties of understanding

If you're considering answering topic 2 of the Nov 2020 ToK essay titles, then I'd be delighted to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 3: "Too much of our knowledge revolves around ourselves, as if we are the most important thing in the universe" (adapted from Carlo Rovelli). Why might this be problematic?

Thoughts to consider with essay 3 include:

• how can we measure the amount of knowledge, if at all?
• how do we distinguish trivial from non-trivial knowledge?
• what does genuine self-knowledge involve? Is it a bad thing?

If you'd like to discuss topic 3 of the Nov 2020 ToK essay titles, then I'd be delighted to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 4: "The process of gaining knowledge is more valuable than reaching an end result." Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 4 include:

• the extent to which any item of knowledge relies on other knowledge
• how do we measure the value of a process of gaining knowledge?
• the varieties of value involved in gaining knowledge

If you'd like help with topic 4 of the Nov 2020 ToK essay titles, then I'd be delighted to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 5: "The questions we can ask depend more on what we already know than on what we do not know." Discuss this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 5 include:

• do we have to be ignorant of some item of knowledge in order to ask about it?
• the role of our concepts in framing questions
• is possessing a concept a form of knowledge?

If you're considering addressing topic 5 of the Nov 2020 ToK essay titles, then by all means email me and I'll send you details of my services and fees:

Title 6: "Reliable knowledge can lack certainty." Explore this claim with reference to two areas of knowledge.

Thoughts to consider with essay 6 include:

• can we know a falsehood?
• are there degress of certainty?
• what is more important to the reliability of an item of knowledge, it's truth or it's justification?

If you're writing on topic 6 of the Nov 2020 ToK essay titles, then I'd be happy to receive your email; I'll send you details of my services and fees: