TOK ESSAY TITLES MAY 2025 Brainstorming
Work in groups of 3 or 4 during class to discuss your ideas and approaches for each title. Jot your ideas
down on this class Google doc. You can make a copy for yourselves individually to continue to record your
notes and ideas.
Title 1.
Do historians and human scientists have an ethical obligation to
follow the directive: “do not ignore contradictory evidence”?
Discuss with reference to history and the human sciences.
Key terms, phrases
Contestable and/or
ambiguous concepts
Basic knowledge claims,
about knowledge, that the
title makes, assumes or
implies
Alternative
perspectives/viewpoints
What specific aspects of
History and the Human
Science seem relevant?
Which Knowledge
Framework aspects apply to
this title?
What interesting examples
can you bring from your
subject areas and their
methods?
How will you use these
examples?
Title 2. Is our most revered knowledge more fragile than we assume it
to be? Discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of
knowledge.
Key terms, phrases
Contestable and or Ambiguous
concepts
Basic knowledge claims, about
knowledge, that the title makes,
assumes or implies
Alternative
perspectives/viewpoints
Which Areas of Knowledge you
think would work well and what
specific aspects of these seem
relevant?
Which Knowledge Framework
aspects apply to this title?
What interesting examples can
you bring from your subject areas
and their methods?
How will you use these
examples?
Title 3. How can we reconcile the relentless drive to pursue knowledge
with the finite resources we have available? Discuss with
reference to the natural sciences and one other area of
knowledge.
Key terms, phrases
Contestable and or Ambiguous
concepts
Basic knowledge claims, about
knowledge, that the title makes,
assumes or implies
Alternative
perspectives/viewpoints
Which Area of Knowledge you
think would work well to
compare and contrast with the
Natural Sciences and what
specific aspects of these seem
relevant?
Which Knowledge Framework
aspects apply to this title?
What interesting examples can
you bring from your subject
areas and their methods?
How will you use these
examples?
Title 4. Do the ever-improving tools of an area of knowledge always result
in improved knowledge? Discuss with reference to two areas of
knowledge.
Key terms, phrases
Contestable and or Ambiguous
concepts
Basic knowledge claims, about
knowledge, that the title makes,
assumes or implies
Alternative
perspectives/viewpoints
Which Areas of Knowledge you
think would work well and what
specific aspects of these seem
relevant?
Which Knowledge Framework
aspects apply to this title?
What interesting examples can
you bring from your subject
areas and their methods?
How will you use these
examples?
Title 5. To what extent do you agree with the claim “all models are wrong,
but some are useful” (attributed to George Box)? Discuss with
reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.
Key terms, phrases
Contestable and or Ambiguous
concepts
Basic knowledge claims, about
knowledge, that the title makes,
assumes or implies
Alternative
perspectives/viewpoints
Which Area of Knowledge you
think would work well to
compare and contrast with
Mathematics and what specific
aspects of these seem
relevant?
Which Knowledge Framework
aspects apply to this title?
What interesting examples can
you bring from your subject
areas and their methods?
How will you use these
examples?
Title 6. Does acquiring knowledge destroy our sense of wonder? Discuss
with reference to two areas of knowledge.
Key terms, phrases
Contestable and or Ambiguous
concepts
Basic knowledge claims, about
knowledge, that the title makes,
assumes or implies
Alternative
perspectives/viewpoints
Which Areas of Knowledge you
think would work well and what
specific aspects of these seem
relevant? -
Which Knowledge Framework
aspects apply to this title?
What interesting examples can
you bring from your subject
areas and their methods?
How will you use these
examples?
