TOK Notes

HUMAN SCIENCES DEFINITION :

Science that tries to explain about What it is to be a human and to explain and
understand human behavior (Sociology)

The knowledge questions arising from human sciences are also significant because of the
power of this AOK (To inform policy , social movements, individual action, and choice.
Main objective: Gather information to provide evidence for taking evidence-based
decisions

We create concepts so we can Understand REALITY

Aim: To describe and explain patterns of human activity to make predictions about
outcomes in society , and to take action.
Gives CONCEPTS to the things that are happening

● It's impossible to define something as UNIQUE due to constant changes

● It's impossible to define normal behavior

Normal Behavior: Exists if accepted by the SOCIETY / COMMUNITY

THE BANALITY OF EVIL:The ability of people to commit grossly inhumane acts and
atrocities without necessarily possessing extreme evil or deep-seated motivation.
● It's a concept coined by German political philosopher Hannah Arendt
● Arendt argued that Eichmann was not a monster or an ideological fanatic, but
rather an ordinary individual who followed bureaucratic orders without critically
questioning them
● Blind obedience to authority and lack of critical moral reflection can cause you to
do bad things, without being bad

SOCIAL FACTS (Durkheim): Pre-established values, cultural norms, and social structures
that determine how we act (society)

Examples:
LANGUAGE: We don't individually choose it, it's imposed by society (SOCIAL FACTOR)
FASHION: Social phenomenon that influences how people dress

ANTHROPOLOGY

What? Discipline used to understand cultural expressions, perceptions or behaviors of

communities (indigenous or social)

How? ETHNOGRAPHIC METHODS:

To understand cultural expressions the steps:

1. Close to the target population

2. Allow observation and participation in the community
3. Create a connection with the object of study
 POLITICS

Political Ideologies:

● Right
● Free-Market Capitalism: Many right-wing ideologies support free-market
economic policies, emphasizing minimal government regulation and
intervention in business.
● Traditional Values: Right-wing ideologies often value and seek to
preserve traditional social and cultural norms.
● Limited Government: Right-wing ideologies generally advocate for a
smaller and less intrusive government
● Left
● Social Equality: Left ideologies typically prioritize reducing social and
economic inequalities
● Government Intervention: Left-wing ideologies often support a higher
degree of government involvement in the economy to address issues
such as wealth disparity, workers' rights, and the provision of public
services.
● Human Rights: Left ideologies generally advocate for the protection of
individual rights and liberties.sw

TOK - How we apply and obtain power

* Everything is political, BECAUSE: Politics= Citizens

All actions done by citizens that affect each other are POLITICAL

Objective of TOK- Understand the application and acquisition of POWER

Politics is concerned with the acquisition and application of power. (not only to
political systems and structures, also to the wider sense of political life, in which we
gather to deliberate and make decisions as citizens)

● Everything is political: It is often said that anything can be political. Decide

what you are going to present, what you are going to observe, what you are
going to choose, and how you are going to communicate. All these actions
involve political debate
● Politics is a field of its own, it has to do with the establishment of
agreements with others on what affects us in common. Refers to how the
existence of the social group will be organized
● Politics is not only a matter of assembly members, ministers, mayors, or
presidents. It is something that involves all of us because we are all part of
the community and its organization. The word politics comes from the
Greek word polítikòs , which means citizens.
● A political lens on knowledge draws our attention to when and why we give
authority to some forms of knowledge and not others
● A political lens also makes visible the power relations at play in knowledge
communities.