在知識的產生過程中，詮釋在多大程度上是一種可靠的工具？ 在本期知識論清談中，我們有幸邀請到中國文化研究中心的張玉龍老師，他的深厚學識和獨到見解為我們的討論增添了無限光彩。張老師的專業背景使他能夠深入剖析詮釋與知識之間的複雜關係。他的思考不僅啟發了我們對知識本質的重新思考，也讓我們感受到詮釋在知識生成過程中的重要性和挑戰。期待大家收聽這期節目，感受張老師的智慧和魅力。 2026 TOK Essay Title 6: To what extent is interpretation a reliable tool in the production of knowledge? Answer with reference to history and one other area of knowledge. In this episode of our TOK talk, we're pleased to welcome Dr. Zhang Yulong from the China Cultural Research Center. His deep knowledge and unique insights greatly enrich our discussion. Dr. Zhang's expertise enables him to analyze the complex relationship between interpretation and knowledge. His thoughts inspire us to rethink the nature of knowledge and highlight the importance and challenges of interpretation in the knowledge generation process. We look forward to everyone tuning in to experience Dr. Zhang's wisdom and charm. Host: 孫秀東老師 Guest:張玉龍老師

你在多大程度上認同「萬物皆數」這一論斷。是否萬物皆數，所有的知識和理解最終都可以用數字來詮釋和量化？甚至是本質上都是數學？這是一個值得深思的問題。為了探討這個有趣的話題，我們特別邀請了吳暇老師和張紫朗老師參加這一期的知識論清談。在討論中，兩位老師的對話既幽默又深刻，像是在一場智力的舞蹈中，讓人不禁想要跟著一起起舞。他們結合自身經驗探討了數學與知識之間的微妙關係，讓人耳目一新。不論是吳老師的風趣比喻，還是張老師的深邃見解，這場對話都讓我們重新思考了知識的本質。期待大家收聽這期節目，跟隨我們一起在知識的海洋中暢游，說不定會有意想不到的收穫哦！ To what extent do you agree with the claim that “all things are numbers” (Pythagoras)? Answer with reference to the arts and the human sciences. Is everything ultimately quantifiable, and can all knowledge be interpreted through numbers? Is everything, at its core, mathematical? This thought-provoking question is the focus of our latest epistemology discussion, featuring teachers Wu Xia and Zhang Tze Long.. Their dialogue is both humorous and insightful, akin to an intellectual dance that invites participation. They explore the nuanced relationship between mathematics and knowledge, offering fresh perspectives. Join us in this episode as we navigate the ocean of knowledge—who knows what unexpected insights you might discover! Hosts: 孫秀東老師 Guests: 吳暇老師、張紫朗老師

在獲取知識的過程中，我們對某事物的理解程度是否僅能達到我們對該事物情境的理解程度？帶著這個問題，我們特意邀請了王紅櫻老師、張熙老師參與了這一期的知識論清談。期間老師們對於情境與知識的討論有趣有深刻，期待大家收聽。 In the acquisition of knowledge, can we only understand something to the extent that we understand its context? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge. With this question, we invited Teachers Wang Hongying and Zhang Xi to join this session of our epistemology discussion. Their insights on context and knowledge were both interesting and profound. We hope everyone tunes in! Hosts: 孫秀東老師 Guests: 王紅櫻老師、張熙老師

2026 TOK Essay Title 3: Is the power of knowledge determined by the way in which the knowledge is conveyed? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge. Can knowledge stand on its own, or does its impact entirely depend on the packaging? That is the provocative challenge of the 2026 TOK Essay Title 3: "Is the power of knowledge determined by the way in which the knowledge is conveyed?" This question is particularly complex when applied to Mathematics, where facts are absolute yet their transformative power often lies hidden behind specialized notation and formal proofs. To navigate this question, I’ve brought back one of our sharpest and most valued podcast guests to help us dissect how the delivery system shapes the destiny of knowledge. Guest: Mr. Kevin Hoye (TOK & IB English Literature Teacher) Music: Our school orchestra performance of Shostakovich, May 2025

2026 TOK Essay Title 2: To what extent do you agree that doubt is central to the pursuit of knowledge? Answer with reference to two areas of knowledge. This title seems to pick up in the middle of a debate about the nature of knowledge, and how it has shifted over time… particularly with the 21st century focus on STEM, and a scientific approach to knowledge. For me, as an art teacher, the idea that doubt is essential to the pursuit of knowledge is counter-intuitive, even corrosive; how can one create without a measure of belief? I recognized the deep, conflicting roles doubt plays in our two fields. To bridge that ideological gap and truly understand the scientific methodology, I pulled a brilliant Physics teacher away from his formulas and into a necessary conversation. Guest: Mr. Saif Ullah (Physics Teacher) Music: Julia Shi performing Claude Debussy, Feb 2025

2026 TOK Essay Title 1: In the production of knowledge, does it matter that observation is an essential but flawed tool? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge. The premise of the 2026 TOK Essay Title 1—that observation, the bedrock of science, is also inherently flawed—demanded a rigorous inquiry. To understand the stakes, I sat down with a science expert to challenge the maxim, 'seeing 'is believing.' Our discussion was a deep dive into the mechanisms of scientific knowledge: how the very act of observation is shaped by the techniques and tools we use; what the true nature of these perceptual flaws is; and the intricate methods developed to 'correct' for human and technical bias. This conversation reveals why this foundational vulnerability is not a weakness to be hidden, but a critical, defining characteristic of the natural sciences. Guest: Dr. Simon Griffin Music: Rhea Ng and Delphine Wu, Feb 2025

A fantastic professional learning workshop this week at our school led to a follow-up conversation with John Sprague, renowned TOK textbook writer and teacher. We wanted to delve deeper into the practical strategies he uses to help students master their essays. One highlight for our teaching team was Sprague’s insightful framing of "knowledge communities." He helped us see that this concept is inherently inclusive: anyone involved with a subject—from a novice apprentice to a seasoned expert—is a vital part of that community. We realized this perspective could fundamentally change how students view their work. This podcast distills that transformative idea and other key wisdom from the workshop to benefit both TOK teachers and their students. Guest: John Sprague Music: Mary Ji performing Étude op.4 no.3 by Karol Szymanowski

Title 4: Do the ever-improving tools of an area of knowledge always result in improved knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge Guest: Dr. Simon Griffin Sounds: Lamma beach

2025 TOK Essay Title 3: How can we reconcile the relentless drive to pursue knowledge with the finite resources we have available? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge Guest: Kevin Hoye Sounds: Hong Kong Birds and Traffic in the morning

2025 TOK Essay Title 1: Do historians and human scientists have an ethical obligation to follow the directive: “do not ignore contradictory evidence”? Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences. Guest: Quinn Fontaine Sounds: Sri Lankan rainforest in the morning

2025 TOK Essay Title 2: Is our most revered knowledge more fragile than we assume it to be? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge Guest: Janka van Jaarsveld Sounds: Sri Lankan rainforest in the morning

2025 TOK Essay Title 6: Does acquiring knowledge destroy our sense of wonder? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge Guest: Bob Scheer Sounds: Sri Lankan rainforest at midnight

2025 TOK Essay Title 5: To what extent do you agree with the claim “all models are wrong, but some are useful” (attributed to George Box)? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge. Guest: Rob Bradshaw Sounds: Sri Lankan street musicians

不同的信仰体系如何影响我们的知识? In this bilingual podcast, we explore the complex relationship between belief systems and our understanding of the world. We examine various belief frameworks, including the Judeo-Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian traditions, to explore if it is even possible to fully recognize the extent to which our underlying beliefs influence what we know and how we act. Join us as we delve into a short, sweet, yet deep conversation about our value systems and understanding how they shape our knowledge about others and the world. We hope this gets you thinking as you go about your day, and give you a chance to consider: How do your values influence your knowledge? Guests: Dr. Bill Mak, Sun Laoshi

Prompt 29. Who owns knowledge? LY’s first response: “Those who study, those who learn, those who share” is not a bad start. I wish this were the world we lived in, but somehow I think the answer is far more complicated and often influenced by power (for good and for bad) more than we care to acknowledge. What is ownership? That it ‘belongs’ to you? Can knowledge even be owned? Pioneers, inventors, artists, discoverers of new knowledge - do they own the knowledge they produce, create or discover? If whoever was first gets the credit, does that mean they own the knowledge? Once knowledge is shared, does it belong to other knowers that know it too? What knowledge belongs to the common good? Is knowing something the same as owning it? This discussion raised Issues of social responsibility that comes with creating and sharing (or not sharing) new knowledge. After we think about the question: Who owns knowledge? So many other important questions get raised: What do we do with it? How do we care for it? …LY asks but “so what”? We discussed the ways we value original ideas in different cultures. Zooming out, thinking about the implications of ownership and access, but also the responsibility for protection and upkeep that comes with ownership. Is the onus on the creator or user of knowledge? In a sense, are both ‘owners’? Links in this talk can be found at www.TOKTalk.org Guests: Donna Gee, Liu Yu Music: Hilary Ng playing in the hallway at school

This is one that I could discuss endlessly. Who doesn’t love imagination? I actually recorded this (and a few more episodes) nearly a year ago and have been waiting for the right time. Now seems like the right time for this one, especially as we’re talking about the role of imagination in allowing us to understand and empathize with circumstances outside of our own world. We did go down a little LOTR rabbit hole in this one, let me know if you agree with what we said! But to bring it back to TOK, we talked about imagination in arts, literature, science, history... But we also just discussed the nature of imagining - how do we all imagine differently? Is your imagination a blank canvas? An audio box? Is it a recreation of senses in your mind? How much does it infiltrate your daily narrative? What is imagination? How is it different from reasoning or brainstorming? Are logic and imagination different versions of a similar way of thinking? Is it enough that imagination plays the role of fun and entertainment in producing knowledge about the world? Does it just make things more real and more fun? I really enjoyed this conversation and am immensely grateful for my guests on this (and all episodes) as well as the musicians that help me to put these together. If you’re interested in joining me, please contact me via www.toktalk.org and fill out the contact form. Links we discussed can be found on www.toktalk.org Guests: Brett Fisher, Monica Wahl Music: Hilary Ng playing in the hallway at school

I met with Jon Rees, another TOK Teacher (as well as teacher of Human Technologies and IB English) here in Hong Kong, and we discussed TOK Exhibition Prompt 23: How important are material tools in the production or acquisition of knowledge? It was a fascinating discussion! Students, you need to be careful in this question about the difference between producing knowledge and producing things. While there is a connection (knowledge is needed to produce things), it is not an obvious connection so an exploration of the knowledge being produced (not just the thing) is required here. I think it would be very hard to argue that material tools (and conceptual tools by extension?) are not essential - and yet there’s room for exploration as you can hear from our conversation. I hope to talk with Mr. Rees again soon, as it was a very interesting and thought provoking conversation. Books & Resources that we referenced and discussed in relation to this talk (for links to all of these, check out www.TOKTalk.org): ‘Sapiens’ by Yuval Noah Harari - this book is essentially an exploration of the role of material tools in the development of humankind, but is especially interesting when he talks about “fictional realities”. ‘Techno Feudalism’ by Yanis Varoufakis - he does a great job from a Marxist perspective explaining how his father taught him the concept of historical materialism, how technological development creates the tools/conditions for the advancement of the socio-cultural context. Then who controls the means of production, power/authority. ‘How to Understand E= MC2’ by Christophe Galfard ‘The Sane Society’ by Eric Fromm - criticism of our focus on consumption in a nuclear age where we can annihilate ourselves ‘Song of the Cell’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee - deep exploration of our understanding of biology - the first chapters are specifically focused on development of the microscope and its influence on the entire field of microbiology and beyond ‘Guns Germs Steel’ by Jared Diamond outlines the theory of geographic determinism, and thus the access to materials and the tools we can therefore make are everything in the development of humankind ‘Knowledge Illusion’ by Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach - the illusion of explanatory depth, mistaking shared knowledge for our own Justice with Michael Sandel Little Museum of the World in Chai Wan - A time machine for building peace ‘The Vanishing Face of Gaia’, by James Lovelock - essential wake-up call for humankind ‘Donut Economics’ by Kate Raworth - a hopeful perspective! Nibbling away what we need (not beyond our planetary boundaries) Special Guest: Jon Rees Music from the ISF Student Brass Band playing outside the school gate one morning in December 2023

May 2024 TOK Essay Title 3 Nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of knowledge often so slow to adopt them? Discuss with reference to the human sciences and one other area of knowledge. What is the difference between an idea and knowledge? What is slow or fast in terms of ideas? What contexts affect the timeframe? Slow for what? Who? What does it mean to “adopt” an idea? How is that different from acceptance? When does an idea become a theory or law? What makes an idea fresh? What about the possibilities they represent is both exciting and causes disciplines to pause before adopting them? Guests: Brett Fisher and Garrett McKee Sounds from rice fields in Bali

May 2024 TOK Essay Title 5 Do we need custodians of knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge. I met with Kevin and recorded this, but I had a technical malfunction so the recording was lost. I’ve tried to recapture the essence of our conversation as best as I could. We unpacked some really interesting questions: How does one become a ‘custodian’ of knowledge? Who has the authority or right? Who decides what is protected? What about knowledge that has been lost or discluded? What other great truths and insights are we not hearing because of the selectivity? As custodians, how do we weigh up this choice? What if we didn’t have custodians of knowledge? What about knowledge that might be dangerous? Links from our conversation: CNN interview - last of a family of Peruvian Potato farmers https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2021/10/25/potato-custodians-peru-spc-intl-c2e.cnn Académie Française: https://www.academie-francaise.fr/ How to contribute to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contributing_to_Wikipedia Guest: Kevin Hoye (though as the original episode was lost, his actual voice is not featured, only his ideas as I have tried to faithfully represent them) Music: Jingle Bell Rock as recorded by the Brown School Shoes in December 2018… no it's not the holidays yet.

May 2024 TOK Essay Title 2: How can we reconcile the opposing demands for specialization and generalization in the production of knowledge? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge. This is a tough one that requires some confidence to write about examples with confidence in mathematics. A good investigation would offer an exploration of ways that the demands are reconciled. Why do the demands oppose? Are they really opposing demands? Why do we need both specialization and generalization? If one way to reconcile these demands is to create systems and improve communication within and across knowledge communities, what does this actually look like in the real world? Are we (knowledge communities) actually able to reconcile these demands? Link from our discussion: Clay Mathematics Institute Millennium Prize Problems: https://www.claymath.org/millennium-problems/ Guest: Martin Brown Music: random sounds that could be so much better. Do you have music you'd like featured? Please contact me through the form at www.TOKTalk.org