To understand something you need to rely on your own experience and culture.

Does this mean that it is impossible to have objective knowledge? By: Aleena Khan Knowledge takes two forms- objective and subjective. Many believe that the former is superior, as it is indispensable. The question implies that one cannot gain objective knowledge, as humans rely on their subjective knowledge to understand the world around them. But is it really possible to have objective knowledge? Do we need to rely on our experiences to understand something? Regardless, this question is too simplistic in its perception, as we have many sources to gain knowledge from. By way of formulas and universal concepts, scientific subjects such as Physics aim to make knowledge more objective, avoiding culture and perception. Sports such as athletics use objectivity as a way of measurement and analysing the skill of the participant. On the other hand, subjective knowledge comes in with areas such as Art or reactions to events, where objective knowledge may not be able to interpret the emotional and conceptual depth. Physics is one area where man has moved closer to attaining objective knowledge. The language of science has been reduced to formulas that are universally recognised and understood. As a result, personal opinion and culture do not intrude and an objective knowledge is acquired. This can be evidenced in the Law of Conservation of Energy, which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Thus, we can conclude that this law has not been interfered with by cultural bias, and acknowledged universally as the truth. This evidence contradicts the title, as it shows that it is possible to obtain objective knowledge. However, we can use the topic of quantum mechanics to describe the supposed use of subjective knowledge in Physics- the wave function. It is a probability function used to understand the nanoscale universe. With this, physicists can calculate a system's future behavior, but not entirely with certainty. This probabilistic nature of quantum theory contrasts from the assurance with which scientists can describe our standard universe, leading to the question on how to interpret the wave function: does it represent objectivity or merely the subjective knowledge of another? Regardless, Physics has attempted to eliminate the usual cultural bias, and much of the subjective is a result of objective knowledge- a contradiction to the question of this essay. Another way humans have attempted to achieve objective knowledge is in sport. Objective performance measures are those that involve an independent measurement, that is, without bias or prejudice. These include timing procedures such as stopwatches, or distance measurements with tapes to decide the winner of an event. In these situations, the performance assessment is not subject to personal bias or interpretation, making it objective.

Subjective performance measures, on the other hand, are influenced by the observer's perception, and the participant is judged on their skill by this way. This method can be faulted, as they are open to bias and opinion. Subjective measures often indicate the quality and style of a performance such as a dance routine or gymnastics. While a numerical score may be given, it is open to interpretation of the judge, and cannot be seen as a definite measure. I play Hockey for my team as a goalkeeper. This is an example of a sport using subjective measurement, and not necessarily objective knowledge. Though some may argue that clearing a ball is learnt through playing in matches and developing skills with a hockey coach, I was able to clear a ball occasionally on my own even before the proper trainings started. This counters the title, as this example proves that we dont always need to rely on culture and experience to understand something. Moreover, certain people believe that objective knowledge is superior to its subjective counterpart. This is not always the case. In some areas, subjectivity may be more useful than objectivity, since objective knowledge can understand concepts only so deeply. Art conveys messages in ways that an objective mind will not be able to grasp. The use of colour, the difference in size, the position of the subject- all reflect the intentions of the artist and the feelings it evokes in an observer. Art can be seen as a means of knowledge that no book or article would be able to communicate. It reveals an understanding of mankind and its nature, thus proving to be the work of a subjective mind. Another example of the advantage of subjectivity can be personal experience of the Arab Spring. In Syria, the uprising against the government resulted- and is still resulting- in thousands of deaths. Living in the Middle East with a number of Syrian friends, I saw the effects of losing family and friends in a war first hand. It is one thing to see the death toll in the news and feel sympathetic to those who have lost someone, and an entirely separate experience to witness pain and suffering in those we meet with. Personal experience is always more eye-opening, and one can say that experience in the subjective manner is superior as it allows us to relate to others in a better way than objectivity would be able to. In conclusion, knowledge in areas such as science or sport can be objective, though it will always have traces of subjectivity. We can try to resolve this, but despite our attempts, bias and perception will always play its part. However, contrary to beliefs and the title itself, there are moments when objective knowledge is not tainted by partiality, such as certain laws in science. These are universal, and independent of culture and experience. Also, we can say that objective knowledge is not always superior. In areas such as art or experiencing an event, a subjective mind is able to teach us more and provide a better understanding of humankind than any objective knowledge is capable of doing.

Bibliography: "Does the Quantum Wave Function Represent Reality?" Does the Quantum Wave Function Represent Reality? N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://phys.org/news/2012-04-quantum-function-reality.html>. Lagemaat, Richard Van De. Theory of Knowledge for the IB Diploma. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2005. Print. "The Law of Conservation of Energy." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://library.thinkquest.org/2745/data/lawce1.htm>. "PDHPE." HSC Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://hsc.csu.edu.au/pdhpe/core2/focus2/focus4/4017/2-44/fac2_4_4_2.htm>. Tsokos, K. A. Physics for the IB Diploma. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2008. Print. Danesi, Marcel, and Paul Perron. Analyzing Cultures: An Introduction and Handbook. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1999. Print.