A / AS Level Philosophy

Read Lyam's view

Philosophy is about enquiry. It is about using reason to answer fundamental questions that have occupied enquiring minds since the ancient Greeks. We cannot do this without using structured and well-reasoned arguments. Students will develop skills in absorbing and evaluating the ideas of philosophers and using them to address questions such as whether we can believe the evidence of our senses and whether there are rational grounds for believing that God exists.

Course Content

The syllabus is  based on philosophical exploration with the emphasis on ideas rather than particular texts.

AS Level

At AS, candidates will be introduced to a number of key philosophical themes, which will provide a broad introduction to the study of philosoph. These include  how we experience the external world, why we should act morally and whether the universe shows evidence of design.

A2 Level

Candidates will be given the opportunity to specialise further. Two themes will be selected to study in depth and a key text will be chosen as a focus for exploring philosophical problems.

Whilst essay writing is an important part of the course students will have plenty of opportunity for discussion in small groups and as a class. Video and auditory material is used to explore philosophical ideas, which will often also be presented as powerpoints. Text books are chosen for their clarity and usefulness for exam purposes but will be supplemented with additional material in order to make them more comprehensible to learners new to the subject.