Knowledge Questions

"I know that the sky is blue."
This is an example of propositional knowledge.

• TRUE 
• FALSE

My uncle went to an acupuncturist.

• Traditional medicine vs. Modern medicine
• Does acupuncture work better than modern medicine?
• How can we decide if acupuncture works as well as people claim it does?
• What is it about a scientific explanation that makes it convincing?

London Terrorist Attack: What We Know and Don’t Know

• What do we know about the London terror attack?
• Why do terrorists attack London?
• To what extent can we predict terrorist attacks worldwide?
• How can faith and reason be used to justify terrorist actions?

That dress is white and gold! No, it's black and blue!

• What can optical illusions tell us about sense perception and truth?
• What, if anything, can we learn from optical illisions?
• To what extent do optical illusions happen?
• What kinds of optical illusions are there?

I read The Execution of Saddam Hussein.

• Why is execution a human science?
• What role should intuition play in justifying capital punishment?
• How can we know if capital punishment is right or wrong?
• Why should we or shouldn't we adopt capital punishment?

Ghosts are real!
I saw one on TV!

• How reliable is the knowledge provided by our senses?
• Does the paranormal exist?
• What is the sixth sense?
• Should we believe paranormal claims?

I saw this poster:

• Is guilt an acceptable means of persuading people into ethical behavior?
• Who should decide on the part played by human sciences in our lives?
• What is the importance of saving America?
• Why should I buy American goods and services?

Arabic is going to be compulsory in Israeli schools.

• Should Arabic be taught in Israel?
• Do people need to be multilingual in today's society?
• To what extent does language shape thought and behavior?
• Does everyone need to learn a language in school?

WikiLeaks disclosure reopens Iraqi inquiry into massacre of family

• Why does WikiLeaks exist?
• Is the Internet the proper channel to release information about espionage and secret information?
• To what extent does Iraq need to inquire about massacres?
• Who should decide about the amount of knowledge accessible to the general population?

One of the world's great violinists, Joshua Bell, treated unsuspecting commuters to a virtuoso performance on the Washington Metro system.

• Should performers be allowed to play in subways, where they can cause problems?
• To what extent does context inform the way we interact with the arts?
• How do the arts allow us to understand humanity's deepest passions?
• If we don't expect something, can we truly appreciate it?