Welcome to the natural sciences. This page gives you a quick overview of this TOK area of knowledge, and four padlets offering quotes, knowledge questions, real-world stories, and important thinkers.
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Natural sciences: a quick overview
The natural sciences are dedicated to the systematic exploration of the physical world and the laws that govern it, encompassing disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy, and connecting directly to key concepts including certainty, explanation, and objectivity.
They are illuminated particularly well by two influential thinkers: Marie Curie, whose groundbreaking contributions to the study of radioactivity made her the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and a pioneering figure in the history of science, and Albert Einstein, whose theory of relativity revolutionised our understanding of space, time, and the fundamental structure of the universe.
Contemporary issues make this area of knowledge both scientifically exciting and ethically demanding. Debates about genetic engineering and CRISPR technology raise profound questions about the ethical boundaries of manipulating the genetic code and the potential consequences for future generations, while discussions about climate change and sustainability highlight the urgent need for scientific solutions to the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
The natural sciences in TOK invites students to explore the wonders of the physical world, appreciate the power of empirical evidence, and think critically about the ethical responsibilities that come with the pursuit and application of scientific knowledge.
1 QUOTES Who wrote “Art is I; science is we”?
Explore these quotes on the natural sciences by a wide range of different thinkers. Which quotes are the most and least insightful?
How do they challenge assumptions about the core theme? What do they reveal about links between the this and other aspects of the TOK course?
2 KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS Is science characterised by content, or method?
Exploring knowledge questions is at the heart of TOK, prompting us to reflect on our assumptions and evaluate the reliability of our knowledge.
They give us a focus point for deeper understanding, and play a central role in both the essay and the exhibition assessment tasks.
3 REAL-WORLD STORIES Should organisms be named after humans?
Grasp the natural sciences, see how TOK ideas manifest in the real-world, and support exhibition commentary discussions, via these examples.
They’ll also help you to challenge your assumptions and biases, and become an authentic critical thinker.
4 NOTABLE THINKERS Is Stuart Firestein right that science develops haphazardly?
These thinkers will help you consolidate your understanding of the natural sciences, and articulate your ideas about the world more clearly.
Draw on them to support exhibition commentary discussions, and add depth and authority to the claims you make about knowledge.
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