Tunrnitin.com registrations for essay

Please note the Class IDs and passwords for your ToK class and register for the class immediately. The 12 Angry Men essay is to be submitted via Tunritin.com the due date. A hard copy must be submitted in class, but it will not be marked until the digital copy has been submitted to Turnitin. Late marks apply.

HZT4U701 (the day 1/3 class)
Class ID: 7364169
Password: Plato

HZT4U702 (day 2/4 morning class)
Class ID: 7364183
Password: Plato

HZT4U703 (day 2/4 afternoon class)
Class ID: 7364194
Password: Plato

HW for Wed Oct 23 and Thursday Oct 24

Here is the link for the NYTimes article on Chinese medicine. I think it makes for an interesting counterpoint (to some extent) to the "debunking" approach of Michael Shermer, though it takes many positions that resemble his.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/28/the-enigma-of-chinese-medicine/?_r=1


If the link does not work, just search for the article by its title and author: "The Enigma of Chinese Medicine" by Stephen T. Asma.

Next reading

Here is a link to an e-text of Rene Descartes' Meditations, parts of which will make up our next reading and our study of skepticism and radical doubt. We will look at the second meditation at least.

http://www.vahidnab.com/med.pdf


If the link doesn't work, go to Gutenberg.org and search for Descartes, then find his Meditations.

I plan to have you read parts of this in class together, but it is a big advantage to read it once on your own first. Part of the pleasure of reading Descartes lies in enjoying his mastery of language. (Not all philosophers were great writers.) Descartes was a French philosopher and this is a translation of the original text.

Scanner problems

There will be no homework this weekend due to a problem with my scanner. I will be handing out the document in class on Tuesday.

HW assigned Wed Sept 25

The page on Knowledge Questions given out today goes with the Plato presentation. It's to help you make connections between Plato's ideas and general knowledge issues relating to you as a knower and learner. So, imagine you are Plato and answer some of the questions on that page from his point of view, reflecting his philosophy of knowledge as you understand it. Fill one page with your answers.

Due next class. It will be very useful as a brainstorming device for the presentations next week.

Plato presentation deadlines revised

Hello all,

To give more time for discussion of the Plato readings in class and for you to work on your project, I'm moving the presentation dates as follows:

Day one class:

Monday Sept 30 (Tamakwa group presents on Wed Oct 2)

Day two class:

Tuesday Oct 1 (Tamakwa group presents Thurs Oct 3)

Have a great weekend.

RG

Plato on Project Gutenberg

Now that we have started our study of Plato, some of you may wish to go a bit further in your reading, or just re-read the passages studied in class. If so, go to Project Gutenberg, search for Plato, then click on Phaedo. It is probably not the same translation but just skim through to find the parts that you read in class. Plato is enjoyable to read, if you have the time, I highly recommend it!

HW for Monday Sept 16 and Tuesday Sept 17

Please review the Plato excerpt, "The Allegory of the Cave" and answer the following questions:

1. Identify the key elements of the story (e.g. images, story elements, ideas)

2. In a paragraph, state what the story is saying about the true nature of knowledge.

3. How might this be applicable to you in your persona,l as well as scholastic, life as a KNOWER?

(If you don't have the reading in front of you, you can easily find a version of it online.)

And don't forget to work on the Truman paper while your ideas are fresh.

Have a good weekend!

Day 1 HZT4U701 HW: Journal reflection 1

1. What is one thing you know for certain?

Answer this question, explain why you know for sure, then ...

2. Take a counterpoint position and argue that your claim is less than certain, and that there are grounds for doubt!

Use some of the ways of knowing to think about your argument. (See the course overview)

You should be able to write about 250 words on this.

Make sure your work is available to be checked in class: don't forget, participation is worth 100 percent of your mark!

Welcome

Welcome

Hello grade 11 students and welcome to ToK at Weston! This blog will help you to keep up to date on homework, assignments, extra readings and important news about your ToK course.

I will post important news here fairly regularly, so please check at least once a week. Bookmark this page, and get in the habit of notifying your fellow students whenever you discover important information on the site.

I hope you find this course as interesting as I do. I'm looking forward to a fantastic year of thinking about thinking!

Mr. Glen