Instead of defining knowledge through a standard checklist or definition, history has shown us that what counts as knowledge is usually determined through messy and unequal discussions about different viewpoints. Take the case of a football match: a fan might believe their team's loss was due to the referee's biased decisions. In contrast, a sports analyst might argue that the loss was due to poor teamwork. Here, both parties have different perspectives, but which one is accepted as 'knowledge'? It's often up to discussion and negotiation.

Knowledge coming from Folk and Indigenous people, women, and those who can't speak or write in a certain language have often been undervalued or ignored. Think about traditional medical practices of indigenous people. For many years, these were dismissed as mere superstition, but today, we've discovered that many of these practices have solid scientific backing. This underscores how exclusion can prevent valuable knowledge from being recognized.

Knowledge isn't just for trivia quizzes—it shapes the narratives we tell ourselves and guides the decisions that affect our lives. If you believe, for instance, that climate change is a myth, then your decisions—like what car to buy or how much to recycle—may impact the environment differently than if you believed in the scientific consensus.

Within the TOK course, we'll explore the differences between knowledge, belief, and opinion. This is super important because confusing these can lead to some weird situations. For example, just because you believe in unicorns (opinion) doesn't mean they exist (knowledge). However, your belief in unicorns may motivate you to create a fantastical novel about them that becomes a bestseller (a potential consequence of wrongly categorizing belief as knowledge).

Write down your own examples of something you believe, something you think, and something you know. Do you notice any difference between these three? It's like the difference between believing you're a good singer, thinking you could perform at the local bar, and knowing that you've practiced singing for years. Distinguishing between these three can help you navigate the world more effectively!

The distinction between your beliefs, opinions, and knowledge is crucial. Believing that all snakes are dangerous might keep you safe in the wild, but knowing that only some snakes are venomous would make you better prepared for a career in herpetology.

Keep these in mind as we explore more in the Theory of Knowledge course! 🚀