TOK Journal #7, Date of Writing: 13/03/10, Topic: Could You Sacrifice A Sense?

As a part of talking about our perception in TOK we have been asked to write an entry detailing which of our five senses, if any, we would be willing to sacrifice. I have been thinking about this for quite some time... which of my senses do I use the least? Which gives me the most pleasure? The least pleasure? Which ones do my survival most depend on?

Before I give my personal response to this question, I would like to elaborate on my thoughts about each of my senses.

Sight: Amongst the most well-used of my senses, makes me aware of my surroundings, helps me balance and therefore do most physical activities.
Sound: Enhances what I see, adds a second dimension to my sight.
Smell: Gives me an idea as to what or where something is without having to see, hear, taste or touch it, but also enhances taste.
Taste: Works together with smell, very sensitive, tells me what I have on my tongue and usually indicates if it is good to eat.
Touch: Makes things real, makes me aware of my physical self and other objects around me. Makes things real.

If I had to rate them based on how much I depend on them for survival, personally it would be 1) Touch, 2) Sight, 3) Sound, 4) Smell and 5) Taste.
If I had to rate my senses based on the pleasure and enhancement they bring to my life, the ranking would be as follows: 1) Touch, 2) Sound, 3) Sight, 4) Taste and 5) Smell.

What I am really trying to get across here is that I would never sacrifice my sense of touch, my sense of feeling. Without that sense, not only would I not be able to have touch or physical contact with the objects and people around me, I would most likely not have control over my basic bodily functions, rendering me effectively useless. Touch is not just essential for my survival, but also for my sanity.

The second part to this is the sense I would be most willing to sacrifice, and although it is close between smell and taste it would have to be my sense of smell. Although more useful than taste in many respects, it is amongst the least essential for basic survival and gives me the least pleasure of all my senses. Given the technologically developed society we live in, it would not be too much more difficult to get along without a sense of smell as opposed to taste, and I think this decision more came down to pleasure than chances of survival.

In conclusion, touch is undoubtedly the sense I would be least willing to lose and - although I would be very reluctant to give up any of my senses regardless of the situation (and I do realize that if I end up losing something I ain't going to get to choose what it is) - I would be most willing to give up my smell.