Emotion as a way of knowing

How do we see the world through our emotions? Are they a hindrance or a help when trying to develop an objective picture of the world around us?
Emotional Intelligence test is here.

Snake Oil Science

"I don't care what people say - it works for me".

Ointments, potions,lotions and pills - how do we know that the medicine we are taking actually works on our body rather than our brain simply telling us that we are better?

Here is a link to a review of a new book called Snake Oil Science by R. Barker Bausell.

Read this, or the rather longer article about the placebo effect at http://www.skepdic.com/placebo.html

Post a comment on what you have read- your own opinions and ideas, drawn from your cultural and educational background. What knowledge issues arise from your reading? Can you make links between the ideas explored and any of the areas of knowledge?

You should all have posted a comment by next Tuesday - December 1st. Happy reading!

Logical fallacies....

...and the dangerous adventure.

Follow this link for take part in the dangerous adventure. The website, by Eileen Dombrowski, a highly experinced TOK teacher amongst other skills, is a very useful source of all kinds of resources, ideas and information.

SOS

More on this project later, but here is a link to SOS's sponsor a child programme. I spent a very interesting morning at SOS Children's village here in Baku today - they do fantastic work and we are about to become more involved.

Wouldn't it be amazing if each homeroom in the Diploma programme sponsored a child for the two years of their programme? Or if every individual student did so...

It's a minimum of GBP20, or 25AZN a month. That's a dollar a day. Do you think you could manage that between you?

A CAS/TOK cross over here...

...especially for all you keen Economists. This woman, Jaqueline Novogratz, leads Acumen Fund, which takes a business based approach to poverty solutions. Why not watch and listen to her talking to an audience of US senators about her approach.

"Acumen Fund is a not-for-profit group (but not a charity) that is supported by investors (not donors) who want a good “social return” on their capital."

Fortune

Think about the links between CAS and TOK. What Knowledge Issues arise from Novogratz's speech? What are the ethical implications of charity?

And here is CAS!

OK, so CAS Manager, or ManageBac, is all well and good and does all sorts of great things, but I can't work out how to make great user-friendly notice board style adverts for you all on it, so I am making this blog for CAS as well.

Here is a link to the recent note I sent you all about I. S. Manila's Disaster Appeal.

And here is their blog where you can follow the progress of any money donated.

Why not organise a bake sale? A singing in the rain event as students at IS Manila have done. Every little bit counts, and any money you raise will literally go straight to the people who need it.
More to follow....

Some more links

You might find Ben Goldacre's writing quite interesting. he is also a really good stand up comedian, if you ever get a chance to listen to him ranting about things!

These are good podcasts:

...and finally, explore Ted for some really stimulating and exciting lectures from today's top thinkers and doers. This hyperlink takes you to journalist Evgeny Morozov talking about how the internet aids dictatorships rather than promoting democracy. Fascinating stuff, and do explore the site for more fabulous talks.

Philosophy bites

Become more intelligent whilst walking the dog!

No, really, it works for me in the gym, anyway. I download these podcasts from Philosophy Bites and find that although sometimes they put me to sleep, at other times they offer fascinating insights into a world I have never really thought about much before. And then I wonder about what these people do every day in their offices!

Introducing knowledge issues

Click on the link to find the article entitled 'Pearls before breakfast' from the Washington Post. It is an excellent example of a real life example which poses many Knowledge Issues. You might like to watch the YouTube extract from Technorati Buzz TV again first. After you have read the article, think about what KIs are posed by it. Use the handouts to help you, and perhaps focus your attentions on these areas: Knowledge issues regarding sense perception; Knowledge issues regarding the arts; knowledge issues involving the experiment itself and its media coverage.
Good luck!