I know I have red hair
Although this conversation proved difficult for my know-it-all six and a half year old cousin, but this was also a difficult conversation. We talked about his hair for the most part, and he can certainly argue his knowledge. Gavan was born with bright red hair, and the colour has stayed ever since. I took the opportunity to ask him about his hair, and hear him explain the knowledge claim, "I know that my hair is red." The answers I received from him were very TOK intelligent, and I will definitely recommend the kid to IB once he is entering highschool. For now, I am simply teaching him things that are not in the grade 1 curriculum.
As we continued to argue whether or not there was a possibility of his hair turning brown over night, or as a result of getting it trimmed, he continued to provide answers which included very TOK like reasoning. He first justified his knowledge claim with the use of sense perception. Gavan told me that it was obvious that his hair was red because he's seen it himself and others have complimented the colour. What I asked him next, was if he could really justify that his hair was red if he has only seen it in mirrors and the trimmed bits that are on the floor. He has not seen the real thing with his own eyes, as it has never been long enough. He argued that every time that he has looked in the mirror it has been the same, so there is no chance of it being any other colour. In saying this, he has also justified that his knowledge is obtained through memory, and how he remembers always seeing that it is the colour red.
When I introduced him to the idea of having Areas of Knowledge, he decided that he knew best using The Arts. This is fair, as it does not suitably classify under anything else other than human sciences. The arts work the best because, "We are arguing colour here, and my hair has the colour. Colours are used in art, and art is when we learn about all the different colours. So, we are obviously talking about art"(G. Elmhirst). Hard to argue with, I'd say.
Knowledge Question
-In what ways does memory justify knowledge of the arts?
-How is art influenced by sense perception?
As we continued to argue whether or not there was a possibility of his hair turning brown over night, or as a result of getting it trimmed, he continued to provide answers which included very TOK like reasoning. He first justified his knowledge claim with the use of sense perception. Gavan told me that it was obvious that his hair was red because he's seen it himself and others have complimented the colour. What I asked him next, was if he could really justify that his hair was red if he has only seen it in mirrors and the trimmed bits that are on the floor. He has not seen the real thing with his own eyes, as it has never been long enough. He argued that every time that he has looked in the mirror it has been the same, so there is no chance of it being any other colour. In saying this, he has also justified that his knowledge is obtained through memory, and how he remembers always seeing that it is the colour red.
When I introduced him to the idea of having Areas of Knowledge, he decided that he knew best using The Arts. This is fair, as it does not suitably classify under anything else other than human sciences. The arts work the best because, "We are arguing colour here, and my hair has the colour. Colours are used in art, and art is when we learn about all the different colours. So, we are obviously talking about art"(G. Elmhirst). Hard to argue with, I'd say.
Knowledge Question
-In what ways does memory justify knowledge of the arts?
-How is art influenced by sense perception?