Question 4: Is it problematic that knowledge is so often shaped by the values of those who produce it? Discuss with reference to any two areas of knowledge.
Guiding Questions
“Problematic”
How might it be problematic?
Not reliable? Not truthful? Subject to bias? Wrong?
Are there other motivations? Research funding? Fame?
Are there implications on how the knowledge might be used?
Could further reference to such knowledge contain remnants of biases? Could we misunderstand any knowledge we use from the past?
What does “values” refer to?
Biases? Beliefs? Culture? Background?
Could it be a good thing?
In the process of the production of knowledge in different AOKs, how do we try to be objective (if that is something we see)?
Question Analysis
For this question, we can begin by looking at how we will define problematic. This could be that the knowledge is wrong, unreliable or even subject to bias. We can then discuss why this might be the case. Perhaps there are ulterior motivations (e.g. funding, fame) that the knowledge producers have when deciding to produce such knowledge. This leads you to also consider the implications of how the knowledge is used and the problems it creates (e.g. if the knowledge is used to create more knowledge, then the bias in the knowledge could trickle-down).
We will also need to come up with our own definition of values. The values of someone could refer to their internal biases, their beliefs, culture and even their background. Depending on what your focus is on for that point, you should then see if their values are good or bad. Although the questions stems from the side of skepticism with the word problematic, it does not and should not mean you only look at values being “bad”. There could certainly be some good values that allows the knowledge produced to not be problematic (e.g. think of someone who is honest and follows the scientific method even when the data from his experiment does not agree with the hypothesis. Does he choose to fake the data to release more research papers, or does he adjust the hypothesis, redo the experiment and find a new explanation?)
Something else that you might just want to consider with regards to the two AOKs that you choose to write on is how objectivity works within these AOKs and whether we try to remove the human element at times in order to remove biases (i.e. preventing values from interfering with the knowledge produced). This is certainly not always the case and might even be impossible (e.g. human sciences - it is literally about humans) but this might still help with explaining the problematic aspects of certain values held by knowledge producers.
Potential AOKs: history, the human sciences, art, the natural sciences, mathematics