Nov11/May12 #10 Through different methods of justification, we can reach conclusions in ethics that are as well-supported as those provided in mathematics.

[guapicha]

hello I'm new here . I'm from spain and also doing the IB. I'm doing the TOK question:

Through different methods of justification, we can reach conclusions in ethics that are as well-supported as those provided in mathemathics . To what extent would you agree?; ..and don't know really what to say ..I'm abit lost

Edited December 1, 2011 by guapicha

[gg14]

Hey,

The four methods of justification (as identified by Michael Woolman) are: justifying through logic, justifying using empiricism, justifying using memory and justifying with a reference of authority. If you are confused with these, I highly recommend reading Michael Woolman's 'Ways of Knowing' TOK book. It's our textbook and has served us well.

You might also want to mention that different areas of knowledge use different proportions of each way of knowing to justify knowledge claims =D

I am so glad I came upon your post! I couldn't find online what the methods of justification were, but I can't seem to find what it means to justify with a reference to authority? My first draft is due in a few days so I don't have time to get the book. Could anyone explain that to me please?? Thank you!

Could anyone possibly give me the full reference for this so I can use it in my essay? Sadly not enough time/money to get the book!!! Thanks!

(I would interpret "reference to authority" as religion - 10 Commandments etc and equivalents, or religious leaders - the law, and culture (for ethics) and teachers, textbooks etc for maths. Obviously Lors_18 you will have handed in your 1st draft by now, unlike me, but thought I would share my thoughts on that one anyway!)

[Stanislaw]

Predicted A for TOK using this topic ; *phew*

Got a 19/20 for my TOK presentation and I think my essay is good. Mind you it's written in French.. 1594 words. Talk about cutting it close.

If anyone else hasn't handed it in yet I'm here to help!

[Alejandro Pita]

I wrote my ToK essay on this topic the night from 8th to 9th of March, right before the deadline was over... The EE had been taking all my time and i hadn't thought of this essay... I wrote it while falling asleep, not really knowing what I was writing. Awesomely, when i read it the next day, it was actually ok (even if not very good). I basically said that it's impossible to totally understand humans as they don't follow strict rules of behaviour, and therefore ethics aren't as well-based as maths