Theory of Knowledge: Responsibility to Acquire Knowledge

Responsibility to Acquire Knowledge

• The responsibility to acquire knowledge varies by area of knowledge (AOK)
• Three broad reasons why responsibility to acquire knowledge varies by AOK:
  • Scope and purpose of the AOK
  • Contextual responsibilities of the knower within the AOK
  • Methods and tools used by the AOK

Scope and Purpose of AOK

• Defined by the knowledge framework of the AOK
• Includes definition, boundaries, and purpose of the AOK
• Open to debate, giving rise to knowledge arguments

Contextual Responsibilities of the Knower

• Ethical and moral obligations and duties specific to the AOK
• Contextually specific, applying in some contexts but not others
• Example: doctor's responsibility to acquire medical knowledge due to their profession

Methods and Tools Used by AOK

• Varying responsibility to acquire knowledge based on methods and tools used
• Need to focus on the knower acquiring knowledge, not the knowledge producer
• Example: rumor on Twitter vs. academic research paper

Real-Life Example: AOK History

• 2014: UK Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, rewrote history curriculum, making teaching of black people's history optional
• Gove, as a knower, has more responsibility to acquire knowledge about history due to his context (influence over what is taught in schools)
• Power to influence beliefs of knowledge communities leads to varying responsibility to acquire knowledge

Evaluation Points

• Claim: responsibility to acquire knowledge varies by AOK depending on the knower's context
• Evaluation points:
  • AOK-specific approach to knowledge may not be unique to AOK history
  • All knowers have a responsibility to interrogate all knowledge, regardless of context or AOK
  • Context of a knower is fluid, layered, and hybrid, making it difficult to develop uniform rules for knowledge acquisition

Responsibility to Acquire Knowledge

• The responsibility to acquire knowledge varies by Area of Knowledge (AOK)
• Three broad reasons for this variation:
  • Scope and purpose of the AOK
  • Contextual responsibilities of the knower within the AOK
  • Methods and tools used by the AOK

Scope and Purpose of AOK

• Defined by the knowledge framework of the AOK
• Includes definition, boundaries, and purpose of the AOK
• Open to debate, giving rise to knowledge arguments

Contextual Responsibilities of the Knower

• Ethical and moral obligations and duties specific to the AOK
• Contextually specific, applying in some contexts but not others
• Example: a doctor's responsibility to acquire medical knowledge due to their profession

Methods and Tools Used by AOK

• Varying responsibility to acquire knowledge based on methods and tools used
• Focus on the knower acquiring knowledge, not the knowledge producer
• Example: rumor on Twitter vs. an academic research paper

Real-Life Example: AOK History

• In 2014, UK Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove rewrote the history curriculum, making the teaching of black people's history optional
• As a knower, Gove has more responsibility to acquire knowledge about history due to his context (influence over what is taught in schools)
• Power to influence beliefs of knowledge communities leads to varying responsibility to acquire knowledge

Evaluation Points

• Claim: responsibility to acquire knowledge varies by AOK depending on the knower's context
• Evaluation points:
  • AOK-specific approach to knowledge may not be unique to AOK history
  • All knowers have a responsibility to interrogate all knowledge, regardless of context or AOK
  • Context of a knower is fluid, layered, and hybrid, making it difficult to develop uniform rules for knowledge acquisition