IB May 2026 (M26) TOK Title #2 Model Response
To what extent do you agree that doubt is central to the pursuit of knowledge? Answer with reference to two areas of knowledge.
- The essay below is written as a teaching draft to illustrate the structure, tone, and depth of analysis expected in a high-scoring Theory of Knowledge essay.
- It includes call-outs after each paragraph that explain why particular choices were made and how they align with the IB assessment criteria.
- In a formal submission, you would need to provide proper references and citations (using MLA, APA, or the referencing style your school/IB requires).
Introduction
Doubt is the signal that what we currently believe might be incomplete or wrong. “Central” means more than merely present. It means that doubt coordinates and drives the process across contexts. I agree to a considerable extent that doubt is central to the pursuit of knowledge, especially in the natural sciences and the human sciences. In the natural sciences, structured skepticism turns anomalies into discoveries. In the human sciences, methodological doubt reshapes how claims are tested and trusted.
Yet doubt is not universally central. At times, other drivers such as measurement capacity, community norms, or available methods are the real bottlenecks. My claim is a graded one. Doubt is central often, but not always. It is most central when anomalies reveal live uncertainty and when a field possesses tools to convert doubt into disciplined inquiry.
Note- Purposeful definition of “central”
- Explicit stance using “to a considerable extent”
- And a preview of condition which frames the paper as an evaluation, not description.
Natural Sciences I: When Doubt Triggers Decisive Tests
In medicine, peptic ulcers were long attributed to stress and diet. Barry Marshall and Robin Warren doubted this consensus after observing spiral bacteria in gastric biopsies. Their skepticism generated a testable hypothesis about Helicobacter pylori, which was confirmed through clinical trials. This overturned standard treatment and earned a Nobel Prize. Here, doubt is central because it initiated the research programme.
Without doubting the stress model, the same instruments and methods would not have been deployed in this direction. The pursuit advanced because doubt redirected attention toward a hidden causal mechanism.
Note- The paragraph begins with the old consensus because TOK paragraphs work best when you set up the “knowledge claim” first.
- The story is kept brief to avoid drifting into history-of-science writing, with the final two sentences circling back to the title.
- Every body paragraph should have this explicit return so examiners can see the link.
Natural Sciences II: Anomaly-Driven Doubt Reshaping Theory
In particle physics, the solar neutrino problem persisted for decades. Detectors consistently found fewer electron neutrinos than predicted by solar models. This anomaly created sustained doubt in both astrophysics and detector design. The scientific response was to build new detectors sensitive to different neutrino types and test whether neutrinos change identity in flight.
The eventual confirmation of neutrino oscillations revised the Standard Model and solved the deficit. Here doubt is central because it coordinated theory, method, and apparatus. Knowledge grew by treating doubt as a signal that current explanations were insufficient.
Note- This example broadens the scope of the science discussion by moving from medicine to physics shows range.
- The word “anomaly” is deliberate, because in science anomalies are the clearest way to show doubt has force.
- The paragraph ends with “coordinated theory, method, and apparatus” to stress centrality.
- Examiners want to see that doubt doesn’t just exist in the background, but actively ties parts of the discipline together.
