IB May 2026 (M26) TOK Essay Title #1 Outline
In the production of knowledge, does it matter that observation is an essential but flawed tool? Discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge.
The Core of The Question
- The core of the question isn't “is observation flawed?” but even if it is, does it matter?
- This means your examiner won't want an essay listing all the ways observation goes wrong.
- You must make sure every paragraph loops back to “does it matter that observation is flawed?”
- Use this phrase explicitly and liberally in your topic and concluding sentences.
- Think of it like this: the question assumes flaws.
- Your job is to weigh whether those flaws undermine, reshape, or are irrelevant to knowledge production.
Challenge The Assumption
- You get rewarded by interrogating the wording of the title.
- Is observation necessarily flawed? Define what “flawed” means.
- Does flawed mean limited (we can’t see everything)?
- Or biased (subjectivity creeps in)?
- Or unreliable (prone to error)?
- If all tools have flaws, then maybe flaws are not fatal.
- Think of a slightly cracked phone screen, which you or one of your friends definitely have.
- It’s flawed, but you can still read messages, watch videos, and use apps.
- The flaw only matters if it spreads so far that the phone becomes unreadable.
- In the same way, observation’s flaws may not matter unless they actively block knowledge from being produced.
Anchor The Natural Sciences In Empiricism
- Observation is the bedrock of empiricism: data, measurement, evidence.
- But is empiricism always possible?
- We can’t “observe” quarks directly; we rely on indirect measurements and models.
- Astronomers can’t experiment on black holes; they observe through telescopes and simulations.
- You should show how observation is both enabling (you need it for data) and limiting (you can’t observe everything).
- Basically, observation is the entry point for knowledge (you don't know what you can't observe), but also the ceiling (one observation will never give you the whole truth).
Observation should be linked to the sense perception
Where Observation’s Flaws Matter
- In Natural Sciences, flawed observation can impede credibility.
- In Arts or History, flaws can be generative: subjectivity is what adds, or even creates meaning, sparks debate, or uncovers perspectives.
