TOK Essay on Duality of Knowledge - Good vs Evil
Can Knowledge in Itself be Good or Evil?
A discussion of the Duality of Knowledge and the Way in which Human Interpretation Skews its Perception
Theory of Knowledge Paper
Since the dawn of human civilization, knowledge had always been a controlling force of humanity. The greatest of men and the bloodiest of all tyrants have both used knowledge as a tool to secure control over thousands and to ensure their place in history. Similarly religion, a force that has been around since prehistoric man, continues to manipulate the minds of millions in an effort to control the masses and spread its faith. To this very day the governments of nations feel it is necessary to keep secrets from their people and to censor certain information. In light of these facts, one must ask why countless groups and organization spend millions of dollars in an attempt to gain control of our minds. Has mankind decided that knowledge is inherently evil? That perhaps there are certain things we simply should not know? Conceivably our fear of knowledge lies in its misunderstanding. Knowledge has in the past proven to be both a blessing and a burden, and it is this duality of knowledge that has created a dilemma for human beings for countless centuries. We are often too quick to put the blame on knowledge, yet knowledge without interpretation is ineffectual, only in the mind of a human being can it grow to be a menace or a savior.
For one to understand the true nature of knowledge, both the objective and subjective aspects of knowledge must be considered. Knowledge in its purest form, that is before it has been analyzed or thought about by anyone, is objective in nature. For example, at the exact instant a baby is born the parents and a few doctors that were present in the room all gain the objective knowledge that a new life has begun. However, almost immediately after the event the subjective mind takes over this newly acquired knowledge and begins to analyze and interpret it. The mother of the new born child may begin to think of the greatness that her new child will achieve and that perhaps it will discover a new cure for cancer. On the other hand a doctor in the room may take that same knowledge and begin to ponder how this baby is adding to the population explosion and is bringing the...