Knowing How You Know/template

Template

How do you decide what to believe?

Your theory of knowledge provides answers to the important questions: “How do you know?”, “How do you know?”, and “How do you know?”

Develop your own Theory of Knowledge by answering these questions.

It may be helpful to study the annotated version of this template to gain insight into the various questions posed here.

Please make a copy of this template for your use before answering the questions so this copy is ready for the next student.

1. How do you assess the reliability, objectivity, and relevance of an information source?
2. How do you evaluate the credibility, reliability, objectivity, and relevance of an expert or authority?
3. How do you assess the relevance of evidence?
   1. How do you assess the relevancy of anecdotal evidence compared to systematic evidence?
   2. How do you assess the credibility, reliability, objectivity, and relevance of information based on statistics?
   3. When empirical evidence contradicts a firmly held ideology, how do you resolve the conflict?
4. When do you find expert testimony more or less compelling than direct examination of evidence?
5. How do you maintain your objectivity when subjected to various forms of influence?
   1. Sources of influence include direct observation, listening, dialogue, suggestion, recommendation, advice, opinion, education, previous experience, existing beliefs, ideology, reading, advertisements, indoctrination, propaganda, censorship, counseling, peer pressure, attachment, and habits.
6. How do you maintain your objectivity when subjected to various forms of power?
   1. Power may be present in the form of
      1. Dominance—The ability to inflict harm, also known as aggressive coercion, or
      2. Stature—The ability to provide help, also known as leverage, or
      3. Influence—altering people's beliefs.
7. When do you examine your beliefs from a variety of reference frames?
   1. What happens when you drill down to a much smaller and more detailed scale of time or space?
   2. What happens when you frame up to a larger and more comprehensive scale of time or space?
   3. What happens to your beliefs when you adopt a global perspective?
   4. When and how might you change your beliefs if they are contradicted when examined from a particular reference frame, such as those mentioned above?
8. How do you maintain your objectivity when a compelling narrative depends on incredible beliefs?
9. How do you assess nonfalsifiable claims?
10. When are you comfortable describing your assessment of a belief as “unsure” rather than as strictly true or false?
11. What does it take for you to change your mind?
12. How do you distinguish well-founded beliefs from assumptions, rumors, myths, and opinions?

You may wish to study examples from this gallery of Theories of Knowledge.