ToK Ways of Knowing

In order to distinguish between something that is true, and something that is believed to be true, it’s important to examine the truth-in-question with the four ways of knowing, as well as it’s justifications, and through Plato’s three truth requirements. If something that is believed to be true cannot be properly explained and justified through the ways of knowing and the justifications of at least empiricism and/or authority, than it is probably not true.

When examining something to figure out if it is true or just believed to be true, it is really important to look at the four ways of knowing, which are: emotion, reason, language, and perception. If something that is believed to be true can be looked at through these four ways of knowing, then it is mostly likely true, and not just believed to be true. For example, it is true that I have, what is generally known as “red hair.” I perceive my hair to be of a reddish color. Using reason, I can deduce that I am a “red-head” because my hair is not brown enough to be considered “brunette”, nor is it light and honey-colored enough to be considered “blonde,” nor is it dark enough to be considered “black,” and the only general remaining natural color is “red.” Emotionally, I know that my hair is red. I feel the secondary emotion of pride at knowing my hair is red, which I know is more rare than blonde, brunette, or black. I know that it is more rare through the justification of empiricism. I have seen more brunettes, blondes, and black-haired people, than I have seen people with red-hair. Language as a way of knowing, also helps be know that my hair is red. Through further empiricism, I have heard people use terms like “carrot-top,” “ginger,” and “freckle-face,” to describe not only me, but other people who I know have red-hair. These Language terms help me to know that my hair is red because the terms themselves generally refer to the color red, or reddish colors, and so using them to describe someone helps us know