Concept Taxonomy for Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

This taxonomy organizes the 275 TOK concepts into 12 categories for visualization and curriculum design. Each category has a 3-5 letter abbreviation (TaxonomyID) used in the learning graph CSV and JSON files.

Categories

1. Foundation Concepts (FOUND)

TaxonomyID: FOUND

Core epistemological building blocks that underpin all other TOK concepts. Includes the most fundamental terms and distinctions in epistemology.

Concepts include: Knowledge, Belief, Truth, Justification, Evidence, Certainty, Objectivity, Subjectivity, Perspective, Bias, Knowledge Claims, Personal Knowledge, Shared Knowledge, types of knowledge (propositional, procedural, acquaintance), a priori/a posteriori knowledge.

2. Theories of Knowledge (THEO)

TaxonomyID: THEO

Formal theories and philosophical positions about the nature of knowledge, truth, and justification.

Concepts include: Correspondence Theory, Coherence Theory, Pragmatic Theory of Truth, Justified True Belief, Gettier Problem, Fallibilism, Epistemic Humility, Intersubjectivity, Value-Laden Inquiry, Empiricism, Rationalism, Epistemological Frameworks.

3. Evidence and Justification (EVID)

TaxonomyID: EVID

Types of evidence, standards for evaluating evidence, and methods of verification and source evaluation.

Concepts include: Empirical Evidence, Testimonial Evidence, Statistical Evidence, Anecdotal Evidence, Burden of Proof, Standards of Evidence, Sufficient Evidence, Absence of Evidence, Source Evaluation, Provenance, Corroboration, Credibility, Reliability, Methodology, Verification, Claim and Evidence.

4. Cognitive Biases (BIAS)

TaxonomyID: BIAS

Systematic patterns of deviation from rational judgment that affect knowledge acquisition and evaluation.

Concepts include: Cognitive Biases, Confirmation Bias, Anchoring Bias, Availability Heuristic, Cultural Bias, Selection Bias, Observer Bias, Groupthink, Dunning-Kruger Effect, Motivated Reasoning, Hindsight Bias, Framing Effect, Bandwagon Effect, Authority Bias, Status Quo Bias, Belief Perseverance, Cognitive Dissonance.

5. Skepticism and Critical Thinking (SKEP)

TaxonomyID: SKEP

Approaches to questioning knowledge claims, evaluating credibility, and maintaining intellectual rigor.

Concepts include: Critical Thinking, Skepticism, Scientific Skepticism, Philosophical Skepticism, Cartesian Doubt, Pyrrhonian Skepticism, Healthy Skepticism, Pseudoscience, Demarcation Problem, Unfalsifiable Claims, Conspiracy Theories, Denialism, Science Denial, Intellectual Virtues, Intellectual Courage, Open-Mindedness, Intellectual Honesty, Epistemic Responsibility.

6. Misinformation and Fact Checking (MISN)

TaxonomyID: MISN

The landscape of false and misleading information, strategies for detecting it, and tools for verification and media literacy.

Concepts include: Misinformation, Disinformation, Malinformation, Propaganda, Fact Checking, Claim Verification, Source Verification, Lateral Reading, Debunking, Prebunking, Inoculation Theory, Media Literacy, News Literacy, Information Literacy, Deepfakes, Synthetic Media, Information Warfare, Post-Truth, Information Ecosystem, Echo Chambers, Filter Bubbles, Viral Misinformation, Bot Networks, Astroturfing, Content Moderation.

7. Reasoning and Argumentation (ARGU)

TaxonomyID: ARGU

Structures of logical reasoning, argumentation, and common fallacies.

Concepts include: Argumentation, Premises, Conclusions, Inductive Reasoning, Deductive Reasoning, Abductive Reasoning, Persuasion, Valid Arguments, Sound Arguments, Strong/Weak Induction, Logical Fallacies, Ad Hominem, Straw Man, Appeal to Authority, False Dilemma, Circular Reasoning, Red Herring, Slippery Slope, Counterclaims, Reasoning, Counterexamples, Reductio Ad Absurdum, Burden of Proof Fallacy, Tu Quoque Fallacy.

8. Areas of Knowledge (AOK)

TaxonomyID: AOK

The eight IB areas of knowledge and their characteristic methods, evidence standards, and epistemological features.

Concepts include: Areas of Knowledge, Mathematics AOK, Natural Sciences AOK, Human Sciences AOK, History AOK, The Arts AOK, Ethics AOK, Indigenous Knowledge, Religious Knowledge, Methods of Inquiry, Interdisciplinary Inquiry, Cross-Cultural Knowledge, Ways of Knowing, Scope and Application.

9. Discipline Methods (METH)

TaxonomyID: METH

Specific methods, tools, and practices used within individual areas of knowledge, including mathematics, sciences, history, and the arts.

Concepts include: Axioms, Mathematical Proof, Abstraction, Mathematical Modeling, Formal Systems, Scientific Method, Falsifiability, Hypothesis Testing, Replication, Peer Review, Paradigm, Paradigm Shift, Thomas Kuhn, Scientific Revolutions, Normal Science, Anomalies, Theory and Law, Scientific Consensus, Replication Crisis, Scientific Models, Qualitative/Quantitative Methods, Observer Effect, Surveys and Sampling, Correlation and Causation, Controlled Experiments, Case Studies, Primary/Secondary Sources, Historical Narrative, Historical Revisionism, Memory and Testimony, Oral Traditions, Historiography, Aesthetic Knowledge, Artistic Interpretation, Creativity.

10. Ethics and Values (ETHC)

TaxonomyID: ETHC

Moral reasoning frameworks, ethical considerations in knowledge production, and value-based dimensions of epistemology.

Concepts include: Moral Reasoning, Deontological Ethics, Consequentialism, Virtue Ethics, Moral Relativism, Moral Universalism, Ethical Dilemmas, Consent in Research, Representation, Intellectual Property, Ethics of AI, Bioethics, Ethical Implications, Faith and Reason, Authority in Knowledge.

11. Themes and Perspectives (THEM)

TaxonomyID: THEM

The four core TOK themes (Knower, Language, Technology, Politics) and their associated concepts about how context shapes knowledge.

Concepts include: Knowledge and the Knower, Identity and Knowledge, Culture and Knowledge, Personal Epistemology, Emotion and Knowledge, Intuition, Sense Perception, Imagination in Knowing, Memory as Knowledge Source, Metacognition, Knowledge and Language, Language as Tool/Constraint, Meaning, Ambiguity, Translation, Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, Linguistic Relativity, Metaphor, Rhetoric, Loaded Language, Definitions, Limits of Language, Knowledge and Technology, Tools in Knowledge, Algorithms, AI, Machine Learning, Algorithmic Bias, Simulations, Digital Knowledge Systems, Big Data, Data Visualization, Digital Literacy, Epistemology of Internet, Knowledge and Politics, Power and Knowledge, Censorship, Intellectual Freedom, Knowledge and Justice, Politics of Expertise, Trust in Institutions, Epistemic Injustice, Marginalized Knowledge, Gatekeeping, Information Overload, Attention Economy.

12. TOK Assessment and Skills (ASMT)

TaxonomyID: ASMT

Assessment components, inquiry skills, and capstone elements specific to the TOK course structure.

Concepts include: Knowledge Questions, Open-Ended Questions, Debatable Questions, Prescribed Titles, TOK Essay, TOK Exhibition, Real-World Objects, Reflective Thinking, Socratic Dialogue, Inquiry-Based Learning, Knowledge Framework, Hermeneutics, Capstone TOK Portfolio.