Are you certain that's the correct direction? (Make-up/Extra Credit)

As I was searching for web resources on the zodiac/astrology post, the following quote jumped out at me: "If you watch a spinning toy top, explains Kunkle, you will see its axis wobble. That's called precession. The Earth's axis does the same thing. It's currently facing Polaris, often called the North Star, but 3,000 years ago it was pointing at an obscure star called Thuban." (from "So, Now What's Your Sign?") It immediately reminded me of the story I heard a couple of days earlier about the changes necessary at the Tampa Airport due to a shift in the magnetic north pole. ("Magnetic North Pole Shift Affects Tampa Airport") According to National Geographic's website, the magnetic north pole appears to be shifting towards Russia at the rate of approximately 25 miles a year. ("North Magnetic Pole Is Shifting Rapidly Toward Russia"). Consider the knowledge claims quoted above and made in the two articles. Use them as a jump-off to reflective comments on knowledge and how we know what we claim to know.

Do you KNOW what your 'sign' is? Are you sure?

The little-known "Solecismon, the Person Using the Word 'Ironic' Incorrectly"

Recently, a furor broke out when an astronomer in Minneapolis made a statement in a newspaper interview that the zodiac calendar had shifted. As you look at the following items (just click on the titles), pay attention to statements made by the authors and interviewees that give insight into the role that belief and justification (i.e. evidence) play in what people claim to know, even about themselves. Use those statements as starting points for your comments.

"Zodiac Sign Switch Brings Horoscope Horror" (video) -- pay particular attention to astrologer Susan Miller's comments and host Robin Roberts' apparently-in-jest comments at the end 

New zodiac signs 2011: Can one guy just change the zodiac like that? 

So, Now What's Your Sign?

Astrology Sign Panic: Five Reasons to Calm the Eff Down

[The picture of "Solecismon, the Person Using the Word 'Ironic' Incorrectly" was downloaded from here. Other "little-known astrological signs" can be viewed at that link.]

A TOK Holiday Hangover (Make-up/Extra Credit)

If you did not get a comment posted to one of the earlier posts, this is an opportunity to make-up the missed credit.

At the heart of many holiday movies is a consideration of the relationships between the concepts of knowledge, truth, justification, and belief. Further, a key plot element in several of the best known films (for example, "A Christmas Carol," "It's a Wonderful Life," and "The Polar Express") is a blurring of the distinctions between being awake and dreaming. That brings to mind Descartes' statement that "...there are never any sure signs by means of which being awake can be distinguished from being asleep." Below, ready for your comments, are a couple of quotes and clips from "The Polar Express" that touch on knowledge, truth, belief, justification, and reality.

As an alternative to responding to one or both of these quotes-clips, you may reflect on a quote or element from another Thanksgiving - New Year's holiday film for your comment on this post.

The Hobo on belief

Hobo: What exactly is...is your persuasion...on the Big Man, since you brought him up?

The Boy: Well...I...I want to believe, but…
Hobo: But you don’t want to be bamboozled. You don’t want to be led down the primrose path! You don’t want to be conned or duped...have the wool pulled over your eyes. Hoodwinked! You don't want to be taken for a ride! Railroaded!...Seeing is believing....Am I right?

Seeing, Believing, and Reality

The Boy: Wait!...Wait! Wha...Wha...What did he look like? Did ya see him?
The Conductor: No, sir. But sometimes, seeing is believing....And, sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.

Knowledge, Belief, Proof, Love, & Commitment

Below are two pieces of dialogue between John Nash and his wife-to-be Alicia from the movie, "A Beautiful Mind." Use them as a jumping off point to reflect on the relationship among knowledge, belief, and proof (a.k.a. justification?).

Nash: Alicia, does our relationship warrant long-term commitment? I need some kind of proof, some kind of verifiable, empirical data.
Alicia: I'm sorry, just give me a moment to redefine my girlish notions of romance.

Alicia: How big is the universe?
Nash: Infinite.
Alicia: How do you know?
Nash: I know because all the data indicates it's infinite.
Alicia: But it hasn't been proven yet.
Nash: No.
Alicia: You haven't seen it.
Nash: No.
Alicia: How do you know for sure?
Nash: I don't, I just believe it.
Alicia: It's the same with love I guess.
Most of this last piece of dialogue can be viewed starting at the 52 second mark in the trailer at

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2279866649/

Knowledge, Belief, and Climate Change

Edit

Read the NPR article "Belief in Climate Change Hinges on Worldview" (click on the title). Reflect and comment on the connections you see between the article and our readings and discussions about the role belief plays in knowledge. (The focus of your comments should be on knowledge, belief, justification, and truth, NOT global warming.)

Do You Know? Do You Believe? How Gullible are You?

Click on your choice of the links below to take one of the Museum of Hoaxes' gullibility tests: Science & nature test History & culture test Once you've taken one of the tests, create a post to report your score and reflect on what the test and your performance have to say about the nature of knowledge, truth, belief, and/or justification (i.e. "good reasons," to use Abel's term).

"Among the Cougars"

Visit http://www.slate.com/id/2216609/ for another opportunity to think about, and comment on, the role and impact of language on our society's view of women.