Presentation TOK Presentation help!

[Harsh]

Hi,

I have my TOK presentation due day after tomorrow and my teacher has refused to comment on it or even see it. So I need advice regarding it.

The Ki I have chosen is : To what extent to belief systems of the knowledge community outweigh musical talent with regards to decisions in the Arts?

My RLS was based on how for passing down my musical position, the school conventions said that it should go to the senior most but an 11th grader would have done a better job.

So, is the Ki linked to the RLS?

And can anyone give me suggestions about how to proceed.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[twilight]

I think there's a problem with the wording of your KI.

What if the belief system is one of meritocracy? It doesn't really make sense to answer the KI as no, a belief system that places priority on musical talent does not outweigh musical talent.

I'm not sure how you will be defining belief system, but all (maybe it's most, but I'm not really thinking much here) decisions are made according to some belief system. I don't think musical talent can ever outweigh the belief system because in a case where the most talented musician gets the role of soloist or whatever position you're talking about, that is because the belief system places priority on the musical talent. If the worst musician gets the role of soloist, that is because the belief system places priority on some other stuff that the worst musician fulfills.

Unless by belief system you mean whether the group wants to go for gold, or the group believes in nurturing people, thus giving the younger ones who may not be as good more opportunities to become soloists. But then I still don't see the point of your presentation, because of the way decision making process works. You do not make decisions based on musical talent. You make a decision based on your beliefs, whether or not that belief includes musical talent in it. Unless perhaps you change the word outweigh.

[Harsh]

I think there's a problem with the wording of your KI.

What if the belief system is one of meritocracy? It doesn't really make sense to answer the KI as no, a belief system that places priority on musical talent does not outweigh musical talent.

I'm not sure how you will be defining belief system, but all (maybe it's most, but I'm not really thinking much here) decisions are made according to some belief system. I don't think musical talent can ever outweigh the belief system because in a case where the most talented musician gets the role of soloist or whatever position you're talking about, that is because the belief system places priority on the musical talent. If the worst musician gets the role of soloist, that is because the belief system places priority on some other stuff that the worst musician fulfills.

Unless by belief system you mean whether the group wants to go for gold, or the group believes in nurturing people, thus giving the younger ones who may not be as good more opportunities to become soloists. But then I still don't see the point of your presentation, because of the way decision making process works. You do not make decisions based on musical talent. You make a decision based on your beliefs, whether or not that belief includes musical talent in it. Unless perhaps you change the word outweigh.

Thanks for the reply. I see the point and I agree with what you have said.

How is this KI: To what extent do belief systems of the knowledge community affect the logic and reasoning used to justify actions taken with regards to the Arts?

Or

KI : To what extent do belief systems of the knowledge community influence logic and reasoning in making decisions?

However, do you think that the KI has a direct link with the RLS. Specially if I delimit it to the Arts?

[twilight]

Yes, your RLS is ok, I think. It sounds more like a personal example, but I don't know if there's anything wrong with using personal example for RLS.

I still don't think both your KI are good. If a belief system places importance on musical talent, they will use this as the reason to justify choosing someone. It is for sure that belief system will affect and influence the logic and reasoning. It's like you can replace 'to what extent' in your KI with 'how', then it becomes like you are just listing the 'how's instead of analysing an issue.

If say belief system only affects the logic and reasoning by 50%, what affects the rest of the 50% in decision making? Maybe you have an answer; if you do, then it's fine.

I think something more interesting to look at will be to what extent is it justified for political reason/cultural background/whatever to outweigh musical (if you want to increase your scope, make it artistic talent, it happens a lot) talent when making decisions in the Arts. You can then look at it from different stakeholders' point of view, from the artist involved to the art scene in general. This will dabble with ethics though.

But I think you have no time to make any big changes, so just look at what you already have for your presentation. What are you arguing? What are the two main contending sides that you have? If you really have your points as belief systems influence/belief systems don't influence, then just leave your KI as it is.

And be sure to properly define all the terms in your KI. There are many terms in there that are not self explanatory.

[Harsh]

Yes, your RLS is ok, I think. It sounds more like a personal example, but I don't know if there's anything wrong with using personal example for RLS.

I still don't think both your KI are good. If a belief system places importance on musical talent, they will use this as the reason to justify choosing someone. It is for sure that belief system will affect and influence the logic and reasoning. It's like you can replace 'to what extent' in your KI with 'how', then it becomes like you are just listing the 'how's instead of analysing an issue.

If say belief system only affects the logic and reasoning by 50%, what affects the rest of the 50% in decision making? Maybe you have an answer; if you do, then it's fine.

I think something more interesting to look at will be to what extent is it justified for political reason/cultural background/whatever to outweigh musical (if you want to increase your scope, make it artistic talent, it happens a lot) talent when making decisions in the Arts. You can then look at it from different stakeholders' point of view, from the artist involved to the art scene in general. This will dabble with ethics though.

But I think you have no time to make any big changes, so just look at what you already have for your presentation. What are you arguing? What are the two main contending sides that you have? If you really have your points as belief systems influence/belief systems don't influence, then just leave your KI as it is.

And be sure to properly define all the terms in your KI. There are many terms in there that are not self explanatory.

I greatly appreciate all the help that you have provided.

Okay, so i decided to scrap that line of thinking. So now i am doing something related to how a knowledge community imposes gender identity on its knowers? However, i am having trouble framing a KI. I know what arguments I am going to use.

Thanks.

[twilight]

Like I said just now, look at what you are arguing. Is it useful to impose vs not useful to impose (then you do to what extent is it useful for a knowledge community to impose gender identity on its knower) or justified to impose vs not justified to impose (then it is to what extent is it justified...) etc