For historians and artists, do conventions limit or expand their ability to produce knowledge? Discuss with reference to history and the arts.
This IB Theory of Knowledge essay, based on the November 2025 prescribed title, examines whether conventions serve to limit or expand the production of knowledge in history and the arts. It explores how methodological norms in history, such as source verification and chronology, can support the objective construction of historical narratives while also recognizing how rigid adherence can exclude marginalized voices and unconventional evidence. In contrast, the essay investigates how artistic conventions in fields like music and film can constrain creativity through standardized forms, yet may also provide a foundation for innovation when artists choose to subvert or reimagine them. Drawing on examples such as historiographical approaches to the American Civil War and narrative experimentation in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction,’ the essay argues that conventions both enable and restrict knowledge production, depending on how they are applied within each Area of Knowledge.
April 6, 2025
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For historians and artists, do conventions limit or expand their ability to produce
knowledge? Discuss with reference to history and the arts.
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For historians and artists, do conventions limit or expand their ability to produce
knowledge? Discuss with reference to history and the arts.
Primarily, both historians and artists work from a set of conventions that govern the
process of making knowledge. Conventions are procedures, customs, and norms accepted as
standards to guide inquiry and art production. Within history, conventions of corroboration of
sources, organizing around chronology, and testing of evidence all encourage objectivity in
order to preserve the validity of what occurred in the past. This methodological heft is
designed to eliminate bias and leave a veritable record of historical fact. Conventions, in the
arts, are instead traditional styles, forms, and techniques which control how new concepts are
interpreted and communicated. This strict adherence to norms can choke off original
expression and close the door to breakthroughs in vision. This split raises an interesting
question regarding the place of conventions in general: though former methodologies are
essential to making an accurate and objective presentation, conventional art forms may be
creative hindrances in that they limit experimentation with deviant thinking. Consequently,
the contention of this essay is that while conventions in history protect truth by being
objective, conventions in the arts effectively constrain the generation of new knowledge by
imposing strict creative boundaries.
History conventions which include historical methods do not restrict the generation of
knowledge, but instead widen it by establishing an orderly and discernible framework of
organizing information. Historical methods involve evidence-based form of study and help
safeguard the sensitive nature of history especially because of its relationship with humanity.
Since access to the past cannot be direct, historians utilize conventionized approaches
towards reconstructing events accurately. An excellent example of how conventions enrich
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historical understanding can be seen within the study of the American Civil War. Historians
have utilized various primary sources such as military records, letters, diaries, and newspaper
articles. Such sources are then subjected to rigorous processes like cross-referencing and
source criticism. For instance, the use of comprehensive military dispatches and government
reports has enabled historians to build an authentic and balanced depiction of battles,
strategies, and war-related political decisions (Smith, 2020). This methodical procedure
excludes individual bias and ensures conclusions are made based on empirical reality. The
systematicity of such conventions is needed in maintaining the truthfulness of history. Since
it is impossible to observe historical events directly, these procedures serve as a replacement
for direct observation. In this case, through the following of normal procedures, historians
ensure that every piece of evidence is thoroughly scrutinized and its context properly
comprehended (Bagby, 2022). This critical evaluation not only organizes the vast quantity of
historical data but also allows historians to make connections between apparently disparate
events, leading to a more vibrant and accurate picture of the past. The American Civil War is
a clear case where these conventions have facilitated a better understanding of causes and
effects of war, thus achieving overall improved insight into modern-day American society
(Bagby, 2022). In conclusion, conventions of historical analysis such as systematic source
evaluation and evidence-based examination are necessary. They do not hinder the production
of knowledge but ensure the safeguarding of history's truth. This stringently organized
approach enables historians to create reliable, objective knowledge that advances our
understanding of events like the American Civil War, thus substantiating that such
conventions do widen rather than constrict the historian's field of inquiry to create
meaningful insights.
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On the other hand, conventions in history can restrict the generation of new
knowledge by enforcing rigid frameworks that may overlook alternative perspectives and
unconventional sources. For example, there is the A notable example is the traditional
narrative of the American Civil War. For many years, historians primarily focused on military
strategies and high-level political decisions, often excluding the voices of African Americans
and women. These groups provided invaluable insights into the lived experiences and social
dynamics of the era, yet their contributions were marginalized because conventional methods
favored official records and established documents (Moore, 2024). This strict adherence to
traditional sources can lead to a narrow interpretation of historical events. By relying heavily
on official narratives, historians may inadvertently ignore evidence that does not conform to
these established protocols. The lack of emphasis on personal diaries, oral histories, and non-
traditional records means that important aspects of the war, such as the struggles and
resilience of marginalized communities, remain underexplored (Moore, 2024). As a result,
the full complexity of the conflict and its social ramifications is not fully understood. While
conventional methods ensure objectivity by using verified sources, they may also inhibit the
exploration of novel ideas and broader perspectives, ultimately restraining the growth of
historical knowledge. Thus, although conventions provide a disciplined structure for analysis,
they can limit historical inquiry by constraining researchers to traditional narratives, as
evidenced by the incomplete accounts of the American Civil War. However, conventional
historical methods do not inherently restrict because they ensure accuracy and have evolved
to include diverse perspectives, enriching historical understanding rather than restricting it.
In the arts, conventions such as standard forms and tested techniques establish
creative constraints that restrict the production of new knowledge. Conventional techniques
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such as melody and rhythm in music impose a restricted set of structural expectations that
restrict the generation of new ideas. For example, there is the widespread use of the verse-
chorus form in American pop music. This approach is generally thought to be the norm for
success commercially (Konert-Panek & Gradowski, 2024). Record companies and radio
stations like this form because it guarantees a familiar sound that will gain a broad
listenership. Those artists who attempt to stray from these practices, for example, by using
abnormal song structures or unusual chord changes, tend to encounter resistance from
gatekeepers within the industry (Konert-Panek & Gradowski, 2024). This resistance occurs
when experimental tracks receive little airtime or are shunned by critics who have been
brought up on conventional musical patterns (Konert-Panek & Gradowski, 2024). The
inflexibility of these artistic conventions limits creativity. While art is a topic of poetic license
and all, the reliance on established techniques places musicians and artists in a preconceived
mold. Instead of allowing for open exchange of ideas that may harbor creative musical
compositions, imposing the norms channels imagination into mimicking familiar patterns
(Konert-Panek & Gradowski, 2024). It results in a never-ending cycle where innovation is
stifled and contrasting opinions are not fully developed. The creative boundaries set by these
standard procedures frame the room for innovation in new form and sound, thereby capping
the development of new ideas and information in the art. In short, as much as art involves
subjectivity and poetic license, today's conventions in American popular music, such as
standard procedures and prearranged form, are speed bumps. Such conventions set new
boundaries that do not allow new ideas to be investigated and restrict the development of new
knowledge in the arts.
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However, art conventions are not restrictive to the development of new knowledge.
They provide an ordered framework that fosters innovation through a common vocabulary in
which imaginative ideas can be meaningfully described. Rather than stifling creativity, these
conventions are vessels for artists to labor on, twist, and redefine conventional forms. For
example, in "Pulp Fiction," Tarantino follows the ancient three-act design but reconstructs it
in non-linear configuration. This innovative reshaping of popular narrative convention
delivers a novel, engaging perspective that renews film as a creative art of narrative
storytelling (Zhou, 2022). The film intertwines several stories, offers offbeat conversations,
and negates conventional chronological sequences, allowing audiences to remix ideas of
crime and redemption. Tarantino's novel approach exemplifies that time-tested structures may
be redesigned to generate revolutionary cinematic art and catalyze novel creative ideas
(Zhou, 2022). "Pulp Fiction" indicates that time-tested structures are acceptable as adaptive
starting points. Film directors are capable of invoking such norms as prototypes to trial and
experiment on, thereby transgressing viewers' expectations and amplifying varieties of
artistic work. Conventions provide standard requirements for guaranteeing readability and
logic, allowing innovative creative deviations and subsequent discoveries to reach new sorts
of knowledge. Such structured creativeness is valuable to sustain the debate and artistic
advancement. Rather than limiting the expression of originality, film narrative and ethics
conventions offer an adamant basis to bring about breakthroughs, eventually elevating new
arts knowledge development. However, leaning on past narratives' constructions
conventionally gets movie makers fixed to familiar scripts, thereby not encouraging the
fabrication of completely original storylines.
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In conclusion, conventions in history do not limit production of knowledge because
they aim to improve objectivity by ensuring knowledge is expanded systematically. However,
conventions in the arts restrict creativity and innovation of new information. Historical
research strategies like source verification and chronological analysis offer a strict
methodology that purifies and simplifies knowledge, i.e., in research on the American Civil
War. These conventions are not constricting historical research but actually enrich it by
granting factual integrity. Art conventions, on the other hand, as entrenched musical forms
and entrenched narrative forms take on rigid forms committed to suppressing originality.
While some artists play around with conventions in a bid to generate newness, conventions in
fields such as music and cinema are committed to suppressing deviation, restricting
innovative production. Complying with the entrenched works of art suppresses non-
conventional innovation, suppressing revolutionary revolutions of art. Finally, while
conventions in history safeguard information, conventions in art limit creativity, showing
how in the arts strict adherence to norms already set prior to creativity inhibits innovation in
knowledge creation. Therefore, the impact of conventions varies among knowledge domains,
impacting discovery differently in that some thrive with systematic examination, while others
thrive when given interpretive freedom.
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References
Bagby, P. (2022). Culture and History. Univ of California Press.
Konert-Panek, M., & Gradowski, M. (2024). Stylistic Contrasts and Social Implications in
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Popular Music and Society, 48(1), 79–101.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03007766.2024.2442208
Moore, F. (2024). The Civil War in Song and Story. 1860-1865. BoD – Books on Demand.
Smith, T. B. (2020). “Altogether fitting and proper” : Civil War battlefield preservation in
history, memory, and policy, 1861-2015. The University Of Tennessee Press.
Zhou, Y. (2022). Noir Elements of Neo-Noir: An Analysis of Quentin Tarantino and David
Fincher. Frontiers in Art Research, 4(16). https://doi.org/10.25236/far.2022.041608
April 6, 2025
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Academic level:
High school
Type of paper:
IB ToK Essay
Discipline:
History and art
Citation:
APA
Pages:
6 (1600 words)
Spacing:
Double
* The sample essays are for browsing purposes only and are not to be submitted as original work to avoid issues with plagiarism.
