Singapore · MOE Syllabus Outcomes
JC 1 Knowledge and Inquiry.
Knowledge and Inquiry (H2) challenges students to critically examine the nature, construction, and evaluation of knowledge across various disciplines. Through rigorous philosophical inquiry, students will develop the capacity to assess the validity of claims in the sciences, humanities, and everyday life.
01The Foundations of Knowledge
An introduction to epistemology, focusing on the definition of knowledge, theories of truth, and the primary sources of human understanding.
Examine the traditional tripartite definition of knowledge as justified true belief and explore Gettier problems.
Investigate rationalism and empiricism as foundational approaches to acquiring knowledge.
Analyze skeptical arguments that question the possibility of certain knowledge and evaluate responses to them.
02Knowledge Construction in the Sciences
A critical exploration of how knowledge is generated, validated, and revised in the natural and social sciences.
Evaluate the principles of scientific methodology, focusing on induction, deduction, and Popper's theory of falsification.
Explore Thomas Kuhn's concept of paradigm shifts and the historical evolution of scientific knowledge.
An inquiry into the nature of knowledge in the social sciences, focusing on the methodological and epistemological issues in studying human behaviour.
03Knowledge Construction in Mathematics and Logic
An examination of the formal sciences, focusing on the certainty of mathematical knowledge and the rules of logical reasoning.
Debate whether mathematical concepts are discovered in nature or invented by the human mind.
Analyze the structure of logical arguments and the differences between deductive certainty and inductive probability.
Explore how complex mathematical and logical systems are built upon foundational axioms.
04Knowledge in the Humanities and Ethics
Analyze how meaning, value, and moral truths are constructed and interpreted in history, the arts, and ethics.
Examine how historians construct narratives from primary sources and the impact of bias on historical knowledge.
Investigate how the arts convey knowledge and the subjective versus objective nature of aesthetic judgments.
Explore the foundations of moral knowledge and evaluate different ethical frameworks used to resolve dilemmas.
05Knowledge, Society, and the Individual
Investigate the social dimensions of knowledge, including how power, technology, and culture shape what we claim to know.
Analyze how societal structures, cultural norms, and language influence the production and validation of knowledge.
Evaluate the impact of the internet, artificial intelligence, and mass media on the dissemination and credibility of information.
Apply epistemological concepts to an independent research project, critically evaluating knowledge claims in a chosen field.