Louis C.K. Hates Cell Phones
March 16, 2020
Fitting for the optional knowledge and technology theme in new TOK course.
Author: Mr. Lakhaney
TOK Teacher
HBO Documentary: After Truth
March 16, 2020
After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News, investigates the ongoing threat caused by the phenomenon of “fake news” in the U.S., focusing on the real-life consequences that disinformation, conspiracy theories and false news stories have on the average citizen, both in an election cycle and for years to come.
Wikipedia Is the Last Best Place on the Internet
March 16, 2020
People used to think the crowdsourced encyclopedia represented all that was wrong with the web. Now it’s a beacon of so much that’s right.
By the time the internet came into being, a limitless encyclopedia was not just a natural idea but an obvious one. Yet there was still a sense—even among the pioneers of the web—that, although the substrate was new, the top-down, expert-driven Britannica model should remain in place.
Knowledge need not be Justified, True nor Believed.
March 16, 2020
Popper’s vision is one of knowledge as useful information, by which we mean knowledge that solves a problem. Information counts as knowledge, therefore, if it fulfills this simple purpose.
5 Theories About Conspiracy Theories
March 1, 2020
For people living through a ruinous financial crisis or devastating climate change — or even through rapid social change that has no material effect on their lives — it can be hard to make sense of a cascade of events that seem to have no plainly evident causal chain, or even identifiable human authors. How do you account for a world we’re meant to master, but is so complex its workings seem essentially opaque?
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/why-do-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories.html
Why Fox News’ Hegseth Said He Hasn’t Washed His Hands In 10 Years
March 1, 2020
When it comes to nutrition, we’re all too eager to ignore the evidence. Here’s why.
March 1, 2020
So, it could be that the effect is all in your head. It could be that the effect is real, whether it’s placebo pain relief or measurable weight loss. But either way, if your experience flies in the face of research results, you’re probably going to go with your experience. And Hitchcock says that could be a completely rational decision. If the cost of continuing (say, paying for a supplement) is small compared to the risk of discontinuing (and potentially giving up the perceived benefit), it makes sense to keep on keeping on.
Here are some other articles related to natural sciences and diet
Nietzsche’s “The Use And Abuse Of History” How historical knowledge can be both a blessing and a curse
February 9, 2020
In Nietzsche’s view, his culture (and he would probably say ours too) has become bloated with too much knowledge. And this explosion of knowledge is not serving “life”–that is, it is not leading to a richer, more vibrant, contemporary culture. On the contrary.
Scholars obsess over methodology and sophisticated analysis. In doing so, they lose sight of the real purpose of their work. Always, what matters most isn’t whether their methodology is sound, but whether what they are doing serves to enrich contemporary life and culture.
https://www.thoughtco.com/nietzsches-the-use-and-abuse-of-history-2670323
Banksy Is a Control Freak. But He Can’t Control His Legacy.
February 5, 2020
This article speaks to some important questions about art: What is the purpose of art? What makes art valuable? What is the role of authorities in determining the value of art?
The enormous popularity of Banksy’s brand of urban art has given the cultural establishment, increasingly jittery about perceptions of elitism, plenty to think about. The Staatsgalerie Stuttgart has asked the question: Is Banksy a historically significant artist? If he is — and for many that is a very big “if” — what will be his legacy?
Humans are hardwired to dismiss facts that don’t fit their worldview
February 5, 2020
“Human cognition is inseparable from the unconscious emotional responses that go with it.”In theory, resolving factual disputes should be relatively easy: Just present the evidence of a strong expert consensus. This approach succeeds most of the time when the issue is, say, the atomic weight of hydrogen.
But things don’t work that way when the scientific consensus presents a picture that threatens someone’s ideological worldview. In practice, it turns out that one’s political, religious, or ethnic identity quite effectively predicts one’s willingness to accept expertise on any given politicized issue.
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