The Student Room Group

AQA AS Philosophy (new 2014 onwards spec) Thread!

Scroll to see replies

Hi. I finished sixth form last year, but for complicated reasons was only able to take 2 A2 levels. So in order to get enough for uni, this year I'm having to take both the AS and the A2 level. It's proving incredibly difficult, especially as I am completely home tutoring myself with it. The exam is tomorrow and I feel like I know about a third of the course. I am also having difficulties on forming views on these complex things. For instance, I mean the 15 markers, and when they ask whether or not I believe something or think something is right or wrong, I have no idea which view to take. There are so many arguments and objects and different viewpoints and I struggle to know how to form a view point.

God, I am rather nervous for tomorrow's exam. It's a mammoth and it's 3 hours and there's SO much content to know and they expect us to be able to remember and deploy EVERYTHING with complete precision and accuracy, as well as the aforementioned problem of also having to form a standpoint on these complex philosophical issues and then argue them. I need to get an A overall in order to make every single one of my uni offers, and I just don't think I'm going to be able to do it... :/
Hi. I finished Sixth Form last year, but due to various reasons was forced to only take 2 A2 levels. So this year I am having to take AS and A2 (I picked philosophy) in order to get into uni. The exam is tomorrow and I am really struggling. The concepts aren't baffling but there's just SO much content to remember and I feel like I only really know about 1/3 of it...I am also having difficulty, in regards to the 15 markers, in actually knowing how to take a viewpoint. The issues are so complex and philosophically I feel each argument and objection has merit and I just never really know how I'm supposed to form a view or a stance, when it asks you whether or not you believe a certain thing to be true, or whether a certain claim or argument is right.The exam is tomorrow and it is three hours and it is a mammoth. The fact that they expect us to remember every single detail of every argument and objection and be able to deploy it with exact precision and accuracy, as well as being able to take a viewpoint and a stance and being able to argue it, is so difficult. I need to get an A in order to get into all of the universities I have offers from, and I really don't think I'm going to do it... does anybody have any advice on how to just scrape an A and what I can do in the next 24 hours to have the best shot at scraping an A?
Here's a list of everything you need to know:
PHILOSOPHY PLAN AS AQA.odt9.0KB
So, from what I can tell...I think the exam is going to (roughly) go as follows:

EPISTEMOLOGY
Q1: "Define X" - 2 marks
Q2: "Outline X" - 5 marks
Q3: "Outline and explain X" - 9 marks
Q4: "Outline and explain Y" - 9 marks
Q5: "Debate X" - 15 marks

PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION:
Q6: "Define X" - 2 marks
Q7: "Outline X" - 5 marks
Q8: "Outline Y (a theory) - 9 marks
Q9: "Outline Z (a theory) - 9 marks
Q10: "Debate X" - 15 marks
can someone explain kants synthetic apriori truths please???
thanks
Original post by GeorgiaStardust!
So, from what I can tell...I think the exam is going to (roughly) go as follows:


Hmmm I predict:
Q5. What are the immediate objects of perception?
Q10. Does the concept of God make sense?
Original post by alexrafaelrose
Hi. I finished Sixth Form last year, but due to various reasons was forced to only take 2 A2 levels. So this year I am having to take AS and A2 (I picked philosophy) in order to get into uni. The exam is tomorrow and I am really struggling. The concepts aren't baffling but there's just SO much content to remember and I feel like I only really know about 1/3 of it...I am also having difficulty, in regards to the 15 markers, in actually knowing how to take a viewpoint. The issues are so complex and philosophically I feel each argument and objection has merit and I just never really know how I'm supposed to form a view or a stance, when it asks you whether or not you believe a certain thing to be true, or whether a certain claim or argument is right.The exam is tomorrow and it is three hours and it is a mammoth. The fact that they expect us to remember every single detail of every argument and objection and be able to deploy it with exact precision and accuracy, as well as being able to take a viewpoint and a stance and being able to argue it, is so difficult. I need to get an A in order to get into all of the universities I have offers from, and I really don't think I'm going to do it... does anybody have any advice on how to just scrape an A and what I can do in the next 24 hours to have the best shot at scraping an A?


Firstly, don't panic. You still have time. I still don't know some of my philosophy of religion notes, so I am sat surrounded by energy drinks cramming it (not recommended, but I want to take philosophy at university). Okay, with precision, it is so difficult, I know. Remember quality is more important the quantity. If you know a few specific details which you can explain really well, that is much better than a student who has remembered all of the specific details, and just outlined them, without explaining. Also, since it is now getting shorter with time, really focus on those questions that are likely to come up. e.g. Last year there was 4 questions on knowledge, and one question on perception. This usually changes sides (according to my teacher anyway).

15 markers are not as bad as they seem. I'll use direct realism as an example (as that is probably the only theory I know inside out at the moment, whoops!)

Spoiler

Hope this helps - let me know if you have anymore questions / require clarity.
Original post by khaleesi98
Hmmm I predict:
Q5. What are the immediate objects of perception?
Q10. Does the concept of God make sense?


Apologies, this is going to sound really stupid. But, with question 5, that is referring to direct realism, right?
hello guys I am so desperate for the ontological argument or the problem of evil to come up as the fifteen markers as there is so many things to say about them, but that is just wishful thinking!! but if the concept of God does come up I guess I can incorporate problem of evil into it, oh well we shall all find out what awaits in fourteen and a half hours
Original post by clucky_chick
Apologies, this is going to sound really stupid. But, with question 5, that is referring to direct realism, right?


Hey I think you can talk about any theory of perception as it is open ended, maybe write about the theory that you agree with and its criticisms so you can answer the question directly. However if it it does state immediate objects of perception are mind independent objects, then yes it shall be direct realism.
Shittt I'm bricking this one as well, we've had lots of philosophy of religion practice so I'm cool with that it's just epistemelogy like holy hell.

I should be okay it's just the finer details which make me wanna rip my face off.

Original post by denizovic
can someone explain kants synthetic apriori truths please???
thanks


The only thing I know of to do with synthetic a priori is conceptual schemes - it's argued "conceptual schemes" are synythetic a priori because i) they are not true by definition (nothing about def. of man or universe suggests we have conceptual schemes) but ii) they exist priori as we use them to sort out our experience, hence them existing beforehand (a priori).
Original post by clucky_chick
Apologies, this is going to sound really stupid. But, with question 5, that is referring to direct realism, right?


Yeah you could answer with direct realism so immediate objects of perception = mind independent objects in the external world
Or answer with indirect realism so they = sense data
Or answer with idealism so they = ideas

At least that's what I was going for anyways, I just made that q. up lol 😊 basically I feel like we're going to get an essay on a theory of perception so I was trying to come up with something that could include all of the ones we've studied?
Original post by khaleesi98
Hmmm I predict:
Q5. What are the immediate objects of perception?
Q10. Does the concept of God make sense?

Praying to God it's this.
Good luck everyone! x
Good luck everyone! :h:
Original post by khaleesi98
Yeah you could answer with direct realism so immediate objects of perception = mind independent objects in the external world
Or answer with indirect realism so they = sense data
Or answer with idealism so they = ideas

At least that's what I was going for anyways, I just made that q. up lol 😊 basically I feel like we're going to get an essay on a theory of perception so I was trying to come up with something that could include all of the ones we've studied?


Good guess on it being the essay question! With the way it was worded, I felt you could use any theory of perception. I went for arguing for idealism and so the claim is incorrect in saying immediate objects of perfection are mind-independent. Hoping I'm right!
i criticised direct realism using perceptual variation, hallucinations etc. and also indirect realism
Heya I liked the questions this year however what were we supposed to do for question 3 outline descartes evil demon argument and then what he says about knowledge about the existence of his mind??(i can't remember the wording) because I thought all his arguments have an evil demon in it, also the second part of the question was that referring to the cogito? if not then I am oh so terribly screwed :smile: but thank you aqa for the lovely 15 markers let us hope a2 shall be kind as well
What did you guys put for the 9 marker in unit1 i.e. the Descartes one, I wrote my second part as clear and distinct ideas so God will not allow such demon to deceive me etc., not sure if it's right
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by cogito.
What did you guys put for the 9 marker in unit1 i.e. the Descartes one, I wrote my second part as clear and distinct ideas so God will not allow such demon to deceive me etc., not sure if it's right


cogito ergo sum. Can only rationally prove his own existence - the evil demon, i think describes how we could be controlled by an external agent

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you