American International School of Zagreb

Theory of Knowledge
Martin Crnicki
Candidate number: ---------------

“We know with confidence only when we know little; with

knowledge doubt increases” (adapted from JW von Goethe)
Word Count: Not there yet
 “We know with confidence only when we know little; with knowledge doubt

increases”

Goethe’s quote suggests that one has confidence in knowledge when he knows a little.

As knowledge increases, it raises more questions which in turn leads to uncertainty. There is an

impartial nature to the argument where we can remain content in ignorance. This argument

paints our pursuit for knowledge futile. On the other hand the case can be made for knowledge

being a guiding force towards investigation that leads to further knowledge. What I would like

to pursue within this essay is how we gain knowledge and the nature of its discovery. Does

gaining new knowledge lead to more questions? Increasing knowledge tells us what we do not

know. To specify further, the statement reads as ignorance implies definitive knowledge. In the

essay it is necessary to define terms such as confidence, ignorance, and doubt. This will be

implicitly defined through the use of the Natural Sciences and the Arts as areas of knowledge.

As a comparative purpose the sciences and the arts are seemingly incompatible. I intend on

trying to reconcile the two through finding similarity between the two areas. Several attempts

will be made by using emotion, perception, intuition and reason as support for the claims set

forth.

Knowledge is absolute. To satisfy criteria of knowledge being true, one meets three

conditions. Belief, Truth, and Justification. The problem that is recognized as the Gettier

problem is that there are scenarios in which something is

Notes

(Follow the course of the points through essay, need to compile into one big poorly written

whole)

 Don’t talk about appreciation and understanding of art without linking importance of

sense perception.

 Art communicates an idea and appeals to other ways of knowing in which creativity is

implicitly defined.

 Link music as a strong instigator of emotion, imagination plays a crucial role in the

appreciation and perception of art as a whole

 Aristotle values art for its cathartic capabilities, where through emotion one is

essentially ‘cleansed’.

 Catharsis -

 Link to the greek tragedies, essentially when watched, the individual is cleansed. Is this

why we like watching dramas on Netflix?

 Plato, on the other hand, valued reason more than the arts and felt that the arts would

lead us to become less good.

 A platonic conception of an ideal life was that a rational life was better than an

emotional one. Linking this conception back to the KQ at hand, provides both sides of

argument.
 Art draws its strength from human imagination.

 Ability to conceive ideas creatively through arts can lead us to a deeper understanding

of things around us.

 Arts are limited in that it they stem from the human imagination, no tangible roots.

 Question arises, if Art as a AOK is “imaginary”; to what extent is it reliant on to provide

us with the means to gain knowledge. Or to know?

 At first the connection between the two isn’t apparent. Typically the first thought that

arises is that they contrast in that they aim to discover what’s out there and expand on

our understanding of the world. What more evidently sets things apart is methodology,

strict, regulated and leaves little room for imagination and creativity.

 Contrast, arises where in some situations the arts can provide us with the confidence of

a truth, an axiomatic claim. Tapping into WOK emotion, allows for us to so much more

strongly believe and perceive everyday things.

 Link the extent to which creativity play in the sciences?

 Expand on example of learning guitar, beginning with a basic understanding, following a

lack in knowledge.

 The arts can offer us knowledge that the sciences cannot give us.

 What kinds of truth is the arts capable of expressing

 What is an artistic truth

 Link: To what extent does creative imagination play in the sciences?

 Art offers insight into the human condition

 Other disciplines give us knowledge but art broadens our boundaries of understanding of

this with the use of emotion and intellect

 Artists often create works that raise questions in and of itself.

 A scientist tries to paint a picture of the natural world through the scientific method.

This method is based on observation and hypothesis.

 After experimentation, scientists may formulate a law and ultimately a theory.

 A scientific law "predicts the results of certain initial conditions"

 The universe is inconceivably complex, the general notion behind this is that we are only

but a percentage

 During the past two years, there has been formulation of a proof that no matter what

laws of physics govern a universe, there are inevitably facts about the universe that we

can not learn by experiment or predict with the help of some tools. Theories