Final ToK Book Comment

Hey ToKers,

First of all, you are awesome, as always. Please review your last comment about “acquiring knowledge.” Then, reply with a thought-provoking comment.

Second, please respond to this question in a 50 -100 word response:

A) In your book, how do ‘language’ and ‘key concepts’ construct or shape knowledge?

B) Which metaphors are use to convey knowledge? How effect is this in shaping what we know, believe, or claim to know?

Thanks so much!

Regards,

Coey

16 thoughts on “Final ToK Book Comment

  1. Language in the things they carried is very descriptive for example when they dragged the oranga-tang like women or when Kien felt like he was dieing he described how the bugs crawled over him and how his blood was like cold and sticky like a corpse. The descriptiveness is a very important technique that Bao ninh used to engage the reader in his grotesque views from the Vietnam war.

  2. In my novel, *The Book Thief*, there are several words and phrases that are translated to German (the story takes place in Nazi-Germany). This is specific use of language that carries over its connotations, shaping our knowledge about the situation differently than if those words were in English. For example, Frau Meminger’s favorite word is Saumensch/Saukerl (pig, but dirtier), which she uses to address Herr Meminger and their adopted daughter. This is different than the English “pig” because the German word succinctly carries over meaning that is not present in English, and shows us the emotions involved in both the situation and in Frau Meminger.

  3. a) In the book, “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, language is used to obstruct knowledge by changing how we see or interprete knowledge for example, the term, deception is used often. When we think of war in the past, we think of people lining up to battle. By using the term, deception, it connotes the idea that war is about being sneaky and mischievous to the enemy.
    b) Two metaphors that are used are: Be like water and be like lightning. What these metaphors do is that the give us a idea of what to act like. For example, water is a undestructable force that is able to adapt to numerous situation and to be like water is to be able to adapt to numerous situation. Lighting is extremely fast so the term, be like lightning means to attack swiftly. These metaphors shape our knowledge by giving us a vivid comparason of the forces of nature so that we see what tactics were like. With this comparason, we have an idea of what war was like milleniums ago.

  4. A) The language used in Greek mythology shapes our knowledge in that it causes us to pictures events differently.For example, if you hear that the world “arose” then you’ll assume that it was made beautifully. However if you hear that it “just appeared” you’d think it was spontaneous. It all depends.
    B) The metaphors used in Greek mythology affect how we tell reality from hypothetical reality. One can’t tell whether or not an event is actually happening in mythology or if it is just a way of describing. I would add more, but the limit is 50-100 words… So yeah.

  5. in my book language is used in many perspectives, for instance english, japanese and portuguese are all used in the story and by using each of these different languages knowledge is found by understanding each of them. also language such as body language, proper etiquette, and the samurai code known as bushido. these concepts help Jack in his way of understanding the way of a japanese lifestyle.
    the metaphors in this story convey knowledge in many ways as well as giving hidden messages to the reader so as to give the reader advice in ways that involve living in the real world.

  6. In my book, Coercion, language plays a big role in the way we learn about products. The author explains to us, how companies and the sellers use specific words to make us believe what they want us to believe. The seller wants to gain any possible edge over the buyer, so he might use a higher vocabulary to confuse them or appeal to their emotions to make the buyer feel like they have a friend in which they can trust.

  7. The novel, The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, has a unique use of language. Mark Twain uses slang to tell the reader the context of the story. Mark Twain uses the word “nigger” to show that Jim and Huckleberry live in a racist society. The language constructs an idea that the characters in the novel didn’t go to school, and only use slang.

  8. In the novel, Veil of Roses, language constructs knowledge by showing the audience the voice of Tami’s perspectives. As Tami goes through America, the way that she uses language to construct knowledge is by questioning everything new that comes to her. The way that she compared between Iran and America was what built the knowledge. When you compare two countries together, knowledge gains because you know more about the other than just one of the countries.

    There are various Metaphor’s in the novel (but I don’t have my book with me at the moment) that convey knowledge from when she first set foot in America to when she first starts school.

  9. In my novel “A Brief time of History”, language is used to explain scientific terms that would otherwise be unintelligible with the usual everyday language. However, Stephen Hawking realizes this and therefore tries to simplify to the need to use complex definitions and diction.

    One metaphor worth mentioning in the novel is the concept of space and time. In here, Hawking explains the space is time and time is space. Both are alike which compliments Einstein’s law of general relativity. It is effective because it allows scientists to rule out any anomalies that are irrelevant to space and time.

  10. In my novel, Monkey Town, language is used to persuade and to confuse people. For example, Frances’s father had persuade John Scopes to take part in the trial and told him that his job will not be affected. But he lied. Frances’s father, school board chairman, did not give John his contract. A keyword in the novel that shapes knowledge is “monkey.” This word is used by one of the reporter to compare the Frances to a monkey (referring to the Theory of Evolution). I did not find any metaphors that is use to shape knowledge whatsoever.

  11. In the book ” American Holocaust” by David Stannard, language constructs knowledge by constantly demonstrating the complexity and aw of new cultures, regions, and discoveries. Words like ” New World” , give the ideas that conquistadors believed that their new explorations would be an opportunity to paint over a blank canvas, were they could spread their knowledge. Concepts on the other hand like comparisons and mutuality are used to explain how the visitors of the new world used processes of mutual activities to acquire knowledge and use it to create a series of events were the flaws of their societies would be used against them in order to take control of the land.

  12. In “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” language affects how the main character, Eddie, thinks about the five people that he meets. They all express themselves in different ways, depending in the age they used to be. For example his wife expressed herself as a young woman because that’s the way Eddie liked her the most. The language used affects the reader’s emotion, which in result affects what we think of the story. The different words wither make us sad or happy for Eddie.

    A metaphor used in this novel is heaven. Different people have different thoughts about what heaven is. The way Albom describes heaven in his novel affects what we think about it and makes us question it more. Heaven is a metaphysical thought that cannot be proven with scientific evidence. Therefore, Albom’s memories affect our own because we start question our logic and faith.

  13. In “The Whole She Bang” language helps us to obtain knowledge by allowing us to shape our questions and develop what we want to know. However it is only the first step to gaining knowledge. For example, in the book, they talk about gaining knowledge through comparisons. Cosmologists study the universe but “they have only one universe to study” (18), so the universe “must be compared, not with anything concrete, but with theories and computer models” (18). Language is used here to develop the ideas the scientists want to study, and how they will go about to study something. In this case, its the universe as a whole.

  14. In Maus language is key for communicating and surviving for Vladek –the father- who uses his knowledge of other languages to communicate with other prisoners or the guards. Through Vladek’s use of language he is able to befriend kapos that provide him with food and shelter from being executed or being taken off to do hard labor. Then towards the end he is also able to use language to acquire information from kapos on the whereabouts of his wife and the status of the war. Most importantly Art uses the metaphor of animals to represent how the fear the Jews and other groups have for the Germans. The Jews and other groups are presented as small animals such mice or frogs that fear the Germans who presented as much bigger animals such as cats. Finally there the Americans that are presented as dogs a much bigger animal than the cat or in other words bigger and stronger than the Germans

  15. A. Language and key concepts construct or shapes knowledge by changing one’s perspective of something. Further more it affects the person’s ways of knowing.
    An example can be demonstrated from yesterday’s trip to the UC Santa Cruz Boardwalk with ROTC. We took off from Luther Burbank High School by 5:30am, and didn’t return back until 8:30pm. It was definitely a great adventure and experience! However, during my time over there, I told myself that I didn’t want anything to drink, although I later regretted for not buying anything to keep myself hydrated because I didn’t want to waste money. However it was this quote (key concept) that reminded me: “There’s a big confusion in this country over what we want versus what we need” (Albom 126). It helped me to finally realize that I didn’t want water, but I actually needed it! Even if it meant spending a couple of bucks!

    B. Metaphors that are used to convey knowledge in referring to this book are the comparison of the different views of Morrie’s to those attached to the present’s culture. Due to Morrie’s limited days of living, his perspective of life changes, where he becomes more appreciative and positive with what he just has or goes through. In a more insightful and beneficial way, this effect can definitely shape with what we know, believe, or claim to know (in which the example I mentioned above supports this).

  16. In my book, “the structure of the scientific revolution,” a lot of terms related to science and the scientific method are used to explain the structure of the scientific revolution. Terms and phrases like hypothesis, observation, and trial and error are all used to transfer one’s personal knowledge through language, or in this case collected data. First, they propose a hypothesis. They then record their observations through trial and error. Their personal knowledge is then shared with the world becoming shared knowledge.