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Are some things unknowable?, Is bias inevitable in the production of…
- Are some things unknowable?
Yes, as some kinds of knowledge are physically impossible to attain as we simply can never have the tools that are required to try to obtain that knowledge
Picture of a x-15, fastest jet ever flown (hypersonic) 
For example, it is impossible to reach or exceed the speed of light. The fastest jet ever was the x-15 which only could reach 7,274 km/h, while the speed of light in a vacuum is
300,000 km/sec.
This shows how some kinds of knowledge are just unknowable due to the fact that they are physically impossible to obtain. Someone who wanted to experience what it felt like to move at that speed would never be able to experience this, or do an experiment that requires an object to be at that speed. As a result. this kind of knowledge is unknowable.
Even non-physical attempts to recreate an experience like this, like a simulation, are not true representations. They are based on the predictions of the creator of the simulator, not reality, so cannot be used as a way to obtain true, objective knowledge.
It is impossible to reach absolute zero (0 Kelvin or -273 celcius), it requires an infinite amount of work to remove enough heat from a substance for it to reach that temperature.
It can be argued that it may be possible for future breakthroughs to occur that create opportunities to obtain knowledge that was previously unknowable. However, some things are just physically impossible and can no invention can help us to obtain these types of knowledge.
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- Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?
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Concepts: Truth, Objectivity
When knowledge is produced it is often used as a way to represent reality (the truth). As such, objectivity is sought in order to help represent the world as accurately as possible, and this often involves trying to reduce bias.
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AOK: History and Math
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Math is seen as the universal language, as anyone from any culture or with any background can still communicate and understand math. However, the fact that math is fundamentally a human idea could show that math is inherently biased. (Animals or aliens?)
Math formula?
Numbers as a whole are biased towards humans (10 numbers, 10 fingers)
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- Bias is inevitable in the production of knowledge
- The effect of bias depends on the way knowledge is presented (
- The nature of the knowledge produced determines the effect of bias
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- Can new knowledge change established values or beliefs?
Yes, but only if supported with data and if it is a better explanation of reality that those values or beliefs are based upon.
Broad Street Pump
Back when there was a cholera outbreak in 1854, many people favoured the concept of miasma theory (pathogens were from the air) compared to the modern germ theory. John Snow investigated the outbreak and discovered a water pump that he deemed to be the cause of the outbreak. When he removed the handle to the pump, the outbreak was stalled, which showed that germs spreading in the contaminated water was the cause of the cholera outbreak.
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Initially, other scientists did not believe in Snow's theory and thus produced wrong and false information. This was due to their biases towards their own theory (miasma theory), and it wasn't until the 1854 cholera outbreak that reluctant officials finally tried Snow's idea of removing the pump. However, many were still unconvinced, and a priest named Reverend Henry Whitehead tried to prove Snow wrong. However, over time more and more experiments were conducted that showed germ theory to be better than miasma theory
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Keywords
Established - Supported and proved, known to many and accepted for a long time
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