Natural Sciences
The natural sciences aim to explore the natural world around us and how it works through a systematic process of observation, evidence, and imagination used in scientific models, resulting to generalized assertions (scientific claims) based on predictions. Throughout the discourse of TOK, knowledge production and development in natural sciences would be unpacked through the understanding its scope and nature, perspectives and context, methods and tools, and ethical stance involved-the 4 elements of the knowledge framework of the new theory of knowledge curriculum, TOK 2022.
Activity 1 – Teachers can begin with an introductory video to help build momentum in the classroom as it help to connect the real world situations that best manifests the scope of the Natural science as knowledge among knowers.
The study of the natural sciences is an umbrella including the study of matter and energy with their motion in time and space in Physics; the study of composition, structure, and properties of matter and energy in Chemistry; the study of the growth and interactions of life in Biology, the study of the oceans in Oceanography, and the study of the climates in Climatology.
The natural sciences is somewhat not free of ‘pseudoscience’ claims, where a system of beliefs and practices are claimed to be scientific without meeting all the criteria of scientific method. Herein, it is imperative to explore scientific knowledge claims based on the structured scientific method.
Activity 2: Students can be shown this video to differentiate between science and Pseudoscience. Is everything science? Students can be divided among groups to discuss the scope of both types of sciences. Questions can be raised on the the difference between the methods and tools used in both kinds.
The natural sciences focus on structured global experimental models with great explanatory power in what is called the ‘science paradigm’ (Thomas Kuhn). In the pursuit of investigating the natural world, the natural sciences assume objectivity. In striving hard to abide by objectivity through minimization of personal and emotional influences, the natural sciences often tend to lose the originality, intuition, and imagination.
The natural sciences work on building theoretical framework based on previous knowledge, groupthink, and rigid assumptions, which may form a premise for future research but precluding imagination, reflection, and critical thinking. Throughout the attempts to replicate experimental results and establish a confidence over the independent (IV) and dependent variable (DV), it may be the case results are reliable but not valid and vice versa.
Activity 3: Through this video the students would get to understand how scientific theories build up the foundation of understanding the nature of reality based on certain scientific assumption. Teachers may talk about the objectivity involved in the scientific principles. The objectivity may be at times inflicted by personal experiences
In exploring the natural world around us, we get to investigate the nature and scope of knowledge production in the natural sciences. The natural sciences are encountered by practical questions on environmental issues which get to be precisely addressed through a deeper understanding of the human nature and behavior. Hence, arises the intriguing question as ‘How to separate natural science from human sciences?’
Activity 4: The video above has a great potential to draw difference in understanding between Human science and Natural science. Students can be divided in two groups to derive points from the video. Each point can then be further discussed and placed under respective knowledge framework. Also, there are many topics that can be linked to IA prompts as this can help students to choose their TOK exhibition objects effectively.
While scientific methods are used to discover the laws of nature, there are certain inherent limitations in the scientific methods and tools. Scientific methods involve the human participation and hence cannot keep itself away from human errors. Furthermore, the possibility of discrepancy created by the ‘observer effect’ in the natural sciences versus the human sciences, cannot be ignored.
Questions may also arise on the reliability of blanket approach called ‘scientism’ which is an exaggerated assertion that all knowledge must be bolstered by experimental verification. Scientism comes with the belief that all knowledge has to be verifiable (logical positivism) and should be reduced to logical phenomenon (logical empiricism). However, have you ever realized that this assertion is itself an opinion and hence not verifiable.
From the tool of experimental verification rises the TOK concept of objectivity in natural sciences. Throughout the discourse of hypothesis testing and arriving to conclusion, it is obvious that the objectivity aimed at through experimental verification is often cloaked behind the conformity bias.
True that the natural scientists would lok foe evidence which has conformity with their beliefs and reject those results defying their beliefs as ‘experimental error’. Hence, natural sciences might not be free of subjectivity. In understanding how methods and tools underpin the knowledge acquisition in the natural sciences, let us investigate the knowledge question as  ‘To what extent imagination and intuition impact knowledge acquisition in the natural sciences’?
Though natural science claims ensure its credibility and authenticity through the self regulation of peer review; such peer reviews are not free of the inherent bias which might occur against the female researchers or scientists of less developed nations or even in the favor of age old established perspective.
Furthermore, when the bar is raised in natural science claiming that knowledge has to be substantiated by experimental verification, challenges crop up with regards to difference in opinions on scientific theories between scientists. Herein, it is fascinating to explore the knowledge question- ‘How can scientific facts change over time’?
Activity 5: What things do you think have improved due to natural science knowledge?
Although natural sciences is perceived to be thoroughly ‘scientific’ by nature, ethical issues may rise related to the acknowledgement of the sites used for the resources. Ethics and scientific advancement have the tight tug of war, where ethical stance succumbs to scientific advancement in this informative age. ‘To what extent should the pursuit of scientific knowledge be value free’?
The mind map below links the natural sciences with other areas of knowledge (AOKs), optional themes (OTs), and the core theme (CT) through the four innate elements of the knowledge framework of TOK 2022.
If you like what you read, you may consider reading knowledge and religionÂ
