TOK Entry - Memory

Memory Test

Try some memory tests online; write a field notebook entry (Q3) about your experience, what you noticed about yourself and about memory in general. What strategies do you use to remember things? How good do you think your memory is compared to other people? 

I tried the Brain Metrix, BBC Face Memory Test and the Short Term Memory Test. I did three trials for the Brain Metrix and ended at level 6, 7, 8 in consecutive order. I think I used the first and second test to understand the patterns. I tried to memorize the highlighted rectangles by repeating them in my head. I repeated the number and the place of the rectangles but after the first few levels, I found it more difficult to memorize them. 

For the BBC Face Memory Test I tried to find certain characteristics that stood out in each picture. I didn't know the test would make me sort out the pictures so I wasn't paying much attention on which section the picture belongs to. I was able to identify all the pictures that were not presented in the test but I was unsuccessful at dividing them to the section I saw. I scored high on recognition memory but low on temporal memory. From this I was able to learn that I had more difficulty with memorizing "when" I saw it. 
Lastly, for the Short Term Memory Test, I used a similar strategy that I used for the Brain Metrix but instead of repeating them in my head I repeated them orally. I would look for a certain rhyme and tried to remember the sound of each letter. I was successful for all trials except trial 6 where I missed 1 letter. I speculated that maybe my memory was limited to storing 5 letters. 
I believe my memory is about average because there are many other people around me who have remarkably good memory. Compared to others, I believe my memory is rather average. According to the BBC Memory Test, I have a memory higher than average but I don't think it is safe to rely on one test only. In conclusion, based on the memory tests I may have better memory for recognition but compared to other people, I believe I am relatively low.

BBC Face Memory Test Results

Field Blog Entry #14 - Logical Fallacies (TOK)

Reflection on Fallacies

Logical fallacies are invalid patterns of reasoning that leads to false conclusions. There are many types of fallacies including inductive fallacies and casual fallacies. The logical fallacies presentation really helped me understand about them especially hasty generalization which was what I researched about. Hasty generalization is an example of inductive fallacy and happens when the sample is too small to support an inductive generalization about a population. When someone draws conclusion based on small evidence rather than looking at statistics, that support the conclusions, it leaves an argument incomplete or invalid. One example of logical fallacies is: none of the children in this classroom have blonde hair therefore there are no blonde children at this school.

Even though reasoning can be very helpful in supporting arguments but fallacies are dangerous when coming to conclusions. Some fallacies may not be dangerous but reaching the wrong conclusion can lead to stereotypes and misunderstanding. The video of “Love is a Fallacy” showed how fallacies are applicable and found in many situations in our life. Reflecting on past experience, I realized that I also had the wrong premises and had logical but untrue conclusions. This is why it is important to have the correct premises and come up with a sound and true conclusion. 

     

Field Blog Entry #13 - Understanding Comics (IB Class)

Understanding Comics

During my IBH Literature class, we were required to read a book called "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud. The author explains that comics use language and sense perception, both of which are ways of knowledge in TOK, to help understand comics.

Inside the comic book, the author states that “language was becoming even more direct, conveying meaning simply and quickly, more like pictures.” By saying this, Scott McCloud emphasizes that words have become so developed that it has become similar to pictures where an event is visually told. Instead of distracting the reader from the story, language is now helping people have a balanced understanding through both words and pictures. In addition, the caption in comics and the dialogue used by the characters can portray a huge range of human experiences and emotions.

If there is no language used in comics then people will tend to interpret the same event differently. Pictures merely help the reader visually see the event but they will use reasoning in order to make sense of an event using their own logic, judgment and experience. Sense perception is used when people perceive the pictures used in graphic novels differently. Our internal constructions (cognitive) may differ from the external world (reality) and the different interpretations of what people see may be equally valid.

Through this comic book, which explained the history, techniques and other important usage in comics, I acknowledged that the ways of knowledge is relatable to many subjects. It was quite surprising to find that both language and sense perception was important in understanding comics. This book helped me analyze and understand another graphic novel I read in IB Literature Higher Level class, “Persepolis”, which proved the fact that learning the different ways of knowledge can be applied to comics and further my understanding. I was able to comprehend that the ways of knowledge in Theory of Knowledge is used widely in many sources.