The traditional TOK diagram indicates four ways of knowing. It proposes the inclusion of a fifth way of knowing selected from intuition, memory or imagination, and explore the knowledge issues it may raise in two areas of knowledge. Apart from the four ways of knowing in the traditional TOK diagram, Memory is likely to be the fifth way of knowing. Memory is a lengthy process that has three stages altogether. The stages that complete the process of memory include encoding, storage and retrieval. As a fifth, way of learning, memory has several values and weaknesses that include the following. The first value of memory is that memory determines who an individual is. For example, an individual’s memories inform her decisions and in turn determine who he/she is. The ability of an individual to memorize depends on such aspects as their age and health. Aged people learn at a slower rate than the youthful ones.
Disadvantages of memory as a way of learning include the following aspects. First, the existence of long term and short-term memories complicates the process of learning. This is because if people’s minds store their knowledge in their short memories then they can forget. It becomes unreliable because the short memory expires after sometime. Another disadvantage of memory as a way of knowledge acquisition is its dependence on the ability of individuals. For example, different people have different memories that compromise memory reliability. Certain people tend to remember more issues than others who were part of a similar experience (Hill 50).
Memory enables people to learn because it keeps reminding these people of previous experiences. These constant reminders create opportunities for people with perfect memory to keep learning. People remember some of their extreme experiences through their respective memories. This is only the beginning of learning through memory. After they remember these experiences, they begin questioning their minds on the experience. An example of incidence that proves memory helps people to learn is when people remember the impact of a mistake they made in the past. An individual realizes that the impacts were negative in his/her life. The realization is a learning process through memory. The value of memory in learning is when an individual remembers a procedure in his/her life. For example, an individual could learn a recipe for a first time. Later when the individual uses the same recipe is an indication that the individual has used memory to learn the recipe (Ming-Ten & Kuo-Wei 67).
The remembrance and consequent questioning of their experiences make these people learn diverse ideas. For example, these people are likely to learn that certain aspects were the causes of their experience. If someone’s experiences were nasty, then he/she learns that they have abilities to avoid the causes of the nasty experiences in the future. The phenomenon of psychology continues to proof that memory is reliable in all aspects of an individual process of learning (Kraaijenbrink & Fon 2). For example, an individual’s memory enables him/her to master significant aspects and later implement them. When people have emotional or psychological stability, they can improve their memories. This improvement of memory ensures that there is efficiency in learning.
Apart from enabling people to learn about causes of previous extreme experiences, memory is reliable in psychology because it ensures that people retain all the ideas that they learn. Learning and psychology are inseparable because the latter’s concepts increase the effectiveness in most learning environments. For example, psychology informs educationists of some of best ways of enhancing the memory of individuals. Results from research about memory indicate that there is a boost of memory when individuals are peaceful. This is psychological because people experience peace in their minds. It introduces practical solutions that enable students to learn and memorize the concepts from school. Modern curricular ensue that everyone learn a significant aspect of psychology before qualifying for their respective assignments (Ming-Ten & Kuo-Wei 78).
The reliability of memory in historical concepts is multifaceted. This is because of the evident complexities in the learning of history. The ability of memory to offer solutions to historical concepts enables people to learn and believe what their respective historical sources tell them. Things that happen in the past are tricky to understand because of the existence of faulty documentation. In most times, historical concepts are a recording of what people who create the respective records did see. It could be such things as the beginning of a war that is later historical. Memory assures people that the events in historical records are true if the people who make the recordings were present at those times. It only presents faulty information if the memory of these people distorts information. If the people listening and fail to understand or miss a point, they cannot ask for clarification. Such clarifications are extremely significant in the relation of memory and history. The possibility to distort historical information is a significant unreliability of memory. (Kraaijenbrink & Fon 2).
Memory allows people to remember these historical ideas as if they were present at the occurrence time. This is because these people learn about their histories from people who offer vivid explanations. The clarity of all the clarifications they offer trains the listener’s mind to register intense memorizations. The chance that they have to ask for clarifications also works with their respective minds. This is because people only ask for clarifications when their minds seem to understand the issues of discussion. For example, people only ask for further instructions only after there are certain that they have mastery of previous information through their memory (Hill 50).
There are instances when memory fails from inaccurate reconstruction. Such reconstructions rise from wrong reproductions by diverse individuals. The concept of schema that the human mind uses on is also unreliable. Witnesses to an event are likely to force their own imaginations in to their respective schema. Cultures are also a significant component on the unreliability of memory. People from different cultures make their memories relate to familiar aspects and in turn compromise the truth in what they remember.
The following are knowledge claims and issues in the modern world. First, people in the modern world seem to register unanimous agreements that knowledge is an agreement of facts. The ability to retrieve this knowledge is possible through long-term memory. The creation of several definitions of knowledge establishes continuous discussions that are controversial. Numerous experts suggest there are significant relations between knowledge and belief. This is because these experts imply that ideas that people claim to know are basic beliefs. No one appreciates for sure that what he or she know is true. It depends on how people learn whatever they finally believe in, but no one is certain that it is entirely true. The inclusion of belief in modern definition of knowledge makes knowledge appears as if it were supernatural (Lagemaat 45).
Other significant issues about knowledge include the power that it gives to people who possess it. People who appear to master their respective content win exemplary respect from their colleagues. This is because of the acceptance that knowledge is a significant component of people’s lives. Knowledge also makes people helpful to the society and makes rational decisions among the social context. For example, a woman could get an accident while on her way to work. The only people who can help her are those who have certain knowledge about first aid. Other people who might help this person are those who know the location of the nearest hospital. Everything in both the modern and even past word depends on knowledge, the more knowledge individuals acquire, the more acceptance they get (Kraaijenbrink & Fon 2).
Modern societies do not seem to appreciate people who appear to be clueless about happenings around them. This means that the current society has allowed the phenomenon of knowledge to determine its character. This society forces people to be knowledgeable through various ways. The most common way in which it expects its members to gain knowledge is through education. This is because of the belief that knowledge originates from schooling institution. The creation of significant investments that attempt to improve learning facilities is proof that knowledge receives massive appreciation. Professionals do not mind risking their money in the establishment of infrastructure that would enable the perfect sharing of knowledge. Governments also register this appreciation of knowledge in their respective commitments to projects about knowledge (Glazer 5).
Modern people also go to extreme levels to attain their knowledge to get satisfactory feeling. Their memories are a significant aspect of this learning they continue to undertake. The concept of knowledge determines a person’s nature of friends. This is because most people would want to mingle with people who have as much knowledge as they do. For example, friends would be unable to sustain that friendship if there are significant differences in their levels of knowledge. Knowledgeable friends will not appreciate the company of that other person that is not as knowledgeable as they are. This is because even their conversations will be senseless and even create conflicts on lack of understanding (Hill 57).
There continues to be relevant research on perfect explanations of knowledge. Not so many people have conviction that current explanations about knowledge are true. This is because the entire notion of knowledge raises several questions. Such questions include wonders about the possible existence about people who know everything. People in modern societies suggest that knowledge is endless. This means that people can never stop learning unless they die. Learning means diverse aspects for different people. The diversity in this meaning depends on previous exposures to knowledge by these people. If these people know less complicated ideas, the development of their knowledge will not be speedy. Apart from speed of acquiring new knowledge, there people will have difficult adapting to creation environments. For example, people who lack an elementary school education can never be innovative in their adult lives. This is because failure to attend such institutions of knowledge derails both their social and intellectual growth (Glazer 3).
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is extremely significant in the development of most people. This is because of the terrific opportunities it gives to people. For example, Theory of Knowledge (TOK) allows people to ask diverse questions about the existence of certain explanations in their lives. TOK also enables everyone to improve his or her respective deliveries of curricular. The realization of the significance of memory in TOK is commendable because it guides necessary and relevant research. Possibilities if research on the reliability of memory could enable psychologists to design therapies that help people improve their respective memories.
Work Cited
Glazer, Rashi. “Measuring the Knower: Towards a Theory of Knowledge Equity.” California management
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Hill, Ian. The International Baccalaureate: Pioneering in Education. Woodbridge, UK: John
Catt Educational, 2010. Print.
Kraaijenbrink, Jeroen & Fons Wijnhoven. “Managing Heterogeneous Knowledge: A Theory of External Knowledge Integration.” Knowledge Management Research & Practice 6.4 (2008): 274-86. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.
Lagemaat, Richard . Theory of Knowledge for the Ib Diploma. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2011. Print.
Ming-Ten Tsai & Kuo-Wei Lee. “A Study of Knowledge Internalization: From the Perspective of Learning Cycle Theory.” Journal of Knowledge Management 10.3 (2006): 57-71. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.
