The Value of Practical and Theoretical Knowledge

TOK PRESENTATION

by Johara Meyer

Real-life situation:

Can the value of knowledge be measured by the extent to which it has practical applications?

value of knowledge

measured

referring to the significance or importance of knowledge

referring to the ability to evaluate / make generalizations about

practical

applications

referring to using knowledge for real-life rather than theoretical purposes

AOK: Natural Sciences, Art

WOK: Reason, Imagination, Emotion

Knowledge Question:

CLAIM: The extent to which knowledge is practical depends on the knowers perspective.

  • What is considered practical by one person may not be considered practical by another
  • Applies to both shared and personal knowledge 

Example (shared knowledge):

Water is made up of H20 molecules

Example (personal knowledge):

Learning dance choreographies

COUNTER-CLAIM: Knowledge is in itself valuable and therefore still holds value even if it is not considered to be practical by an individual

All knowledge is of itself of some value."

- Samuel Johnson

  • Knowledge is valuable in itself
  • It can, therefore, never hold no value
  • Even if most people see certain knowledge as having no practical application, it is still valuable
  • Many universities use Johnson's theory to justify  granting funds to research where the likelihood of obtaining "valuable" knowledge is slim.

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CONCLUSION

  • making a judgement about the value of knowledge is highly subjective
  •  the perspective of the individual asked to assess given knowledge will influence how valuable they deem it to be

 

CLAIM: Practical applications increase the value of knowledge.

  • Once we can perceive, imagine or reason how certain knowledge can or is applicable to the real world we value it more.

geometric shapes

organic shapes

X-rays

COUNTER CLAIM: How valuable certain knowledge is depends on the criteria it is judged upon, practicality must not be the only criterion.

 

 

  • Example: the value of knowledge in an AOK may be evaluated by criteria specific to that AOK 

Natural Sciences: Stage in the scientific method determines value

Arts: how appropriate cinematic technique is determines value

CONCLUSION

  • knowledge may be considered more valuable if it can be applied practically
  • however, knowledge may just as well be evaluated using other criteria

Example:

  • Before 1831, scientists had done little to harness electricity for practical usage
  • 1831, Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction ( how to generate electricity )
  • Now, electricity is used in the real world every day. 

CLAIM: The extent to which knowledge is practical changes with time, thus the value of knowledge changes with time.

Electric power consumption (kWh per capita per year)

COUNTER-CLAIM: Knowledge that currently has no practical application could find practical application in the future, thus the value of knowledge should not be measured with regard to practicality.

While knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.

 

- Albert Einstein

  • We cannot know how practical certain knowledge will be to us at a different point in time
  • Dismissing knowledge which currently has no real-world applications as useless may prevent us from "unleashing it's potential"

While knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.

 

- Albert Einstein

 

CONCLUSION

  • how practical certain knowledge is to us may change with time
  • all knowledge hold "potential" value​ 
  • arguably, more value lies in knowledge where this "potential" has not been explored  

CONCLUSION

Can the value of knowledge be measured by the extent to which it has application?

 

  • There is a correlation. Applying our knowledge can add great value to our lives.
  • However, measuring this value universally is not possible
  • It can even be argued, that the value of knowledge lies in its potential to be useful rather than to what extent we exploit that potential at a particular point in time 
  • In that sense, There's nothing as practical as good theory

 

SOURCES

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC?end=2014&start=1971

http://visualartspdsf.blogspot.de/2012/02/organic-and-geometric-shapes.html

https://fineartamerica.com/art/geometric+shapes

https://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/mapmaspmm

https://pbsa.hs-duesseldorf.de/studium/studiengaenge/ba_aad

https://de.scribd.com/document/323830771/knowledge-framework-arts-guide#fullscreen&from_embed

http://www.h2owatersolutions.co.uk/about.html

http://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/e/scientific-method

https://www.archdaily.com/438400/free-university-of-berlin-foster-partners/525d6519e8e44eff02000a7e-free-university-of-berlin-foster-partners-details

https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees/index.php?r=site/view&id=193

https://www.topuniversities.com/courses/art/grad/guide

http://www.madsciencecomic.com/947/203-theoretical-physics

http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/media/eps/schoolofmathematics/study/undergraduate/informationforcurrentstudents/pastexaminationpapers/scriptviewing/MATH20101.pdf

https://ndpr.nd.edu/news/imagination-in-kant-s-critique-of-practical-reason/

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_art_need_evidence_What_is_the_goal_of_art_and_science_Where_do_they_overlap

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2009/oct/29/art-meaning-bob-dylan