Theory of Knowledge 2 “A Key to Your Future”

Summer 2007 Assignment for IB Diploma Seniors

“You don’t have to go fishing, of course, to fix your motorcycle. A cup of coffee, a walk around the block, sometimes just putting off the job for five minutes of silence is enough. When you do, you can almost feel yourself grow toward that inner peace of mind that reveals it all. That which turns its back on this inner calm and the Quality it reveals is bad maintenance. That which turns toward it is good. The forms of turning away and toward are infinite, but the goal is always the same.”

(Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, 295-296)
 

This summer, take time to “fix your motorcycle.” Read Chapter 12, "The Unflat World," from Friedman’s The World Is Flat and the attached selections from the Arts/Ethics packet ("Ethics" by Linda Pastan and "Imprisoning Time in a Rectangle" by Lance Morrow) to find the key that will unlock the door to TOK 2, which includes the study of history, ethics and values, the arts, and knowledge and truth. Highlight passages that speak to conflicts in values, to judgments about the world, and to views of the world. Jot down quotes and questions in your journal for us to talk about as school resumes. We expect these passages to be marked up with your notes and “well read.” And yes, they may even have grains of sand on them.

Below are specific guiding questions for Chapter 12 of The World Is Flat, our cross-curricular reading for the IB program. Be sure to respond to these questions in no more than two pages total in your journals. If you wish to read more of the text than what has been assigned, by all means, do! Be prepared for extensive discussions on all of the readings during the first week of class:

1. How does Friedman answer arguments against his theory of a flat world? Do you think he effectively explores and evaluates the counter claims?
    
2. If in 150 years, someone were reading The World Is Flat as a primary source document of the early 21st Century, what would the reader find out about us? What would be left out? What are the values and limits of this text?
    

Work on your Extended Essay, following your summer plan. Revise, revise, revise! Seek out additional sources to include scholarly research in your analysis and defense of your thesis. Check your paper to be sure you offer enough evidence in support of your arguments. Opt for analysis over narration and description.Review the general assessment criteria and the subject specific criteria for your paper.

Share additional drafts with teachers and mentors. Document and acknowledge all information gained from research, including quotes, paraphrases, and details you have synthesized. Be prepared to turn in a revised draft during the second week of the new school year. Your paper should show your passion for your subject and your attention to all requirements, detail, and form.

Find time to go to museums, galleries, and performances. Immerse yourself in cultural events. Whether you experience the world or immerse yourself in your immediate community, find time to reflect on the things that are most important to you. Take time to be with family and friends. Come back refreshed, re-energized, and ready to experience ToK 2.