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Is the power of knowledge determined by the way in which the knowledge is conveyed?
This IB ToK essay explores whether the power of knowledge depends on how it is communicated rather than on the knowledge itself. Using examples from Mathematics and the Human Sciences, it examines how presentation, language, and representation influence understanding and impact. The essay shows that while knowledge may be valid, the way it is conveyed can greatly affect its persuasive power.
December 14, 2025
* The sample essays are for browsing purposes only and are not to be submitted as original work to avoid issues with plagiarism.
Is the power of knowledge determined by the way in which the knowledge is conveyed?
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Is the power of knowledge determined by the way in which the knowledge is conveyed?
Knowledge is a key factor in the way that people and societies perceive the world. The
title question posits whether power of knowledge, that is, ability to persuade, inform or effect a
change is dictated by the way the knowledge is being conveyed and not the knowledge itself. In
its turn, power of knowledge is the capacity to impact belief, decision-making and action. The
ways used to present knowledge are symbolism, language, visual representation, simplification,
and emotional framing. In this essay, the title is discussed using Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) of
Mathematics and Human Sciences, which depend greatly on the communication process to relay
the meaning of expert communities to the general audience. Although mathematics is considered
objective and universal, its syntactic impact can be seen to be based on representation and
interpretation. How data and theories are framed in the human sciences can have a drastic impact
on response by the public and politics. Therefore, to what extent does the mode of
communication affect the authority and influence of knowledge across different areas of
knowledge? This essay explains that although the way knowledge is communicated greatly
increases or decreases the power of the knowledge, its power is also influenced by other factors
such the nature, methods and standards of every AOK.
Mathematics
The power of knowledge in mathematics is heavily dependent on the way it is conveyed
in terms of representations. Conveyance helps to ensure that abstract concepts become accessible
to non- experts. A real-life example is the application of statistical graphs and mathematical
models in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic. To justify the public health, governments used
visual means like the infection curves, reproduction rates (R-values), and the exponential growth
models. Although the mathematics behind it were not simple, simplified graphs were used to
convey the urgency and risk to the masses (World Health Organization, 2020). Despite the fact
that mathematical knowledge is easily referred to as objective and not tied to interpretation, the
way it's communicated in the real- world context impacts how it is understood. Visual
representations are a convening factor between abstract numerical arguments and human
intuition. Boaler argues that mathematical knowledge is easily communicated through visual
concepts instead of symbolic interpretations. (Boaler, 2019). A formula may look complex in its
symbolic form of expression but strong when it is converted into a graph. This explains how the
public easily understood the increased death rates during the pandemic. This proves that the
persuasive and practical power of mathematics is impacted by the way it is conveyed to the
public. The way knowledge mathematical knowledge is conveyed must resonate with ways of
knowing like sense perception and intuition. In mathematics, therefore, knowledge conveyance is
a very important factor that is used to define its contribution to society and influence actions.
However, there is a perspective that the strength of mathematical knowledge is judged by
its logical validity as opposed to the way it is conveyed. Mathematical proofs can still be used in
their complex symbolic notation especially in the academic and professional worlds, like
cryptography and algorithm design. An example is encryption, which is based on complex
number theory. Despite this, knowledge from this mathematical discipline continues to be
effective even in situations where the general population does not comprehend it. This implies
that mathematical knowledge has inherent power that is based on deduction and internal
consistency. Stewart explains that mathematics is a self-justifying system and truth is not proved
but rather established by means of proof (Stewart, 2019). A correct theorem, even when ill
communicated, is true and operative. However, this power is restricted to communities of experts
within the area of knowledge. Although the knowledge is still valid, its impact outside those
communities is highly diminished when it is poorly conveyed. Therefore, as much as
mathematical knowledge may have inner power which can exist regardless of communication, its
greater impact becomes limited without communication efficiency.
Human Sciences
The power of knowledge in the human sciences is very much reliant on the way it is
conveyed through language and framing. The presentation of climate change research is a
prominent real-life situation that illustrates this argument. Knowledge on climate change has
existed scientifically for many decades. However, people and politicians have very mixed
reactions to it depending on the way the findings are conveyed. This knowledge's power is
impacted when it's conveyed from an environmental, economic or ethical issue. Human sciences
are concerned with complex, probabilistic knowledge, which is interpretable. Consequently,
rhetoric, emotional appeal and narrative have a great importance in establishing impact.
However, the recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have
gradually been taken to more straightforward and urgent wording to highlight the risk and
accountability (Alan et al. 2019). This proves that the same information can be mobilizing or not
persuasive based on how it is presented. Compared to mathematics, human sciences are very
much dependent on language as a way of knowing. Therefore, communication plays the key role
in establishing the area of knowledge's power. The human sciences are one of the fields where
knowledge can gain a lot of power when it is conveyed well to different audiences. It can also
lose its power of impact when the audience are not considered when its communicated.
Another perspective is that the influence and power of knowledge in human sciences is
determined by methodological rigor and empirical reliability. A real-life example is the
longitudinal study of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) led by the Centers of Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente. This knowledge has already become a
common tool to inform the health and education policy of the public. The original ACE research
and the consequent replications on a large scale on other populations found a great deal of
correlation between early childhood trauma and long-term outcomes like chronic illness, mental
health conditions, and low life expectancy. The initial presentation of these findings was in a
technical academic style and in statistical tabular representation. While the general population
failed to understand the findings, it's methodology and scientific empiricism won over the policy
makers. The study acquired significant strength in the policymaking and healthcare systems
because of the great sample sizes, replication, and definite causal trends. This example shows
that knowledge still have power when scientific rigor is applied. The preference of policymakers
and institutions to ACE research was not due to rhetorical framing, but based on the fact that the
evidence was statistically sound and applicable in different situations. Empirical credibility in the
human sciences is due to open methodology and integrity of data and not by narrative appeal as
Pinker argues (Pinker, 2022). Although subsequent public-facing summaries and infographics
made it easier for the public to understand the policies, the knowledge’s underlying power was
seen as policy makers had already moved into action before the information was communicated
successfully. This implies that communication increases reach, but does not ascertain the
legitimacy or institutional power of knowledge. In human sciences, knowledge power can be due
to methodological strength and not the manner in which it is presented and especially in the
context of experts and policy makers.
Comparison
One of the major similarities is that communication enhances the scope of the knowledge
in both AOKs without necessarily dictating the validity of the knowledge. In mathematics, visual
images and models provide abstract facts with greater power in the real-world decision making,
but logical proof establishes that mathematical knowledge can be used powerfully especially
within expert communities. Likewise, in human sciences, well-chosen framing and wording can
impact the way knowledge is understood by the public. However, the power of the knowledge in
scholarly and institutional contexts is anchored by the methodological uniformity as well as
empirical rigor. Nonetheless, an important distinction can be noticed in the extent of power
influence by interpretation. The knowledge of mathematics strives towards being universal and
certain, i.e. its strength is not easily misinterpreted as soon as its validity is proved. On the
contrary, the human sciences are concerned with the probabilistic and contextual knowledge,
which is more vulnerable to distortion by the selective framing or biased presentation. This
analogy implies that although the mode of conveyance of knowledge is a significant determinant
in AOKs, it is mediated by the epistemological underpinnings of individual disciplines. This
means that the power of knowledge can be viewed as the result of the manner in which it is
conveyed and the criteria upon which it should be considered as knowledge itself.
Conclusion
The power of knowledge as discussed in this essay has been found to depend on the
method used to impart the knowledge via the Areas of Knowledge of mathematics and human
sciences. In mathematics, the visual and contextual representation of communication goes a long
way in maximizing knowledge and impact, yet internal validity makes knowledge powerful to
expert communities. In human sciences, the proper conveyance using language and framing is
the key to creating the perception of the masses and policy, but the ultimate basis of credibility
lies in methodology rigor. The discussion indicates that although knowledge delivery method is
vital in enhancing or restraining its power, it does not do so independently. The AOK and the
standards of truth and the intended audience are all mediators of the connection between
knowledge and power. The main consequence of this argument is the ethical duty of the
knowledge producers: the way knowledge is shared may influence society and it is necessary to
make knowledge distribution clear, honest, and accountable.
References
Allan, R. P., Arias, P. A., Berger, S., Canadell, J. G., Cassou, C., Chen, D., ... & Zickfeld, K.
(2023). Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC). Summary for policymakers.
In Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Contribution of working group I to
the sixth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (pp. 3-32).
Cambridge University Press.
Boaler, J. (2019). Limitless mind: Learn, lead, and live without barriers. San Francisco.
Pinker, S. (2022). Rationality: What it is, why it seems scarce, why it matters. Penguin
Stewart, I. (2019). Do dice play god?: The mathematics of uncertainty. Hachette UK.
World Health Organization. (2020). Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE)
readiness and response to the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV): interim guidance, 26
January 2020. World Health Organization.
December 14, 2025
Academic level:
High School
Type of paper:
IB ToK Essay
Discipline:
Mathematics and Human Sciences
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.