[funsongfactory]

(Original post by Zedd)
If you say so. I imagine they would rate an A-Level in law more important or at the very least of the same importance. Correct?

Definitely not, law A-Level is decidedly disliked for law degrees, and is generally considered a soft subject for all traditional courses.

[risteard]

Law A level is not cosidered suitable preperation for a law degree.

Yes, both philosophy and sociology should be compulsory in secondary school. I would say that though....I teach them both....

[Zedd]

(Original post by funsongfactory)
Definitely not, law A-Level is decidedly disliked for law degrees, and is generally considered a soft subject for all traditional courses.

Well in that case I'm happy to be wrong. It seems a bit odd that a law A-Level would be disliked though.

[funsongfactory]

(Original post by Zedd)
Well in that case I'm happy to be wrong. It seems a bit odd that a law A-Level would be disliked though.

It's considered a soft subject like media, and (according to a barrister I met on a law summer school once) many law A-Level students think they know everything already so don't work hard in their first year and then flunk because actually their knowledge isn't really very in-depth at all. Generally for law they just prefer solid essay subjects

[Zedd]

(Original post by funsongfactory)
It's considered a soft subject like media, and (according to a barrister I met on a law summer school once) many law A-Level students think they know everything already so don't work hard in their first year and then flunk because actually their knowledge isn't really very in-depth at all. Generally for law they just prefer solid essay subjects

Ah yes okay that makes sense.

[miser]

I think it's a great platform for introducing critical thinking skills and conscientiousness. I think also a lot of people are insulated from a lot of outmoded beliefs, and I think people should be challenged to think for themselves why today's beliefs are better.

[funsongfactory]

(Original post by miser)
I think it's a great platform for introducing critical thinking skills and conscientiousness. I think also a lot of people are insulated from a lot of outmoded beliefs, and I think people should be challenged to think for themselves why today's beliefs are better.

^ this.

[risteard]

english lit, politics, history and sociology are considered good prep for law

[TheSelfAcknowleged]

(Original post by When you see it...)
With the thesaurus comment was referring rather specifically to:



Although your posts on the first page of this thread (including the OP) are rather verbose and waffley (which in itself doesn't present a nice picture of philosophy if you are its champion) so rather than referring specifically to your vocabulary, maybe I should have mentioned the general style of your writing (it's clear, don't get me wrong. It does actually paint a good picture of philosophy with regards to its reputation for refining clarity of thought.) which I find rather pretentious and almost inaccessible to most people.
Anyway, I got the impression that by 'mandatory for all secondary school students' you meant compulsory for GCSE and/or A level. If so, how is the history/geography argument valid? They aren't compulsory in this sense.
As an alternative to making philosophy compulsory (since you seem to be focusing on skills rather than knowledge), I would like to advocate for computer science. There is lots of overlap (in terms of skills) with philosophy (as well as developing other skills, such as maths and ICT competency. Not saying that philosophy doesn't develop other skills outside of the overlap too.) but also has real-world application which is clear pretty much from the word go. It would interest a different demographic of students for sure, but I would guess that less people would be alienated by being forced to study CS than would be alienated by being forced to study philosophy.
People who want to study it should of course have the option and I agree with you that it should perhaps be compulsory earlier on so people know whether they want to study it or not by the time they reach GCSEs, but to suggest that it should be compulsory at GCSE level is a bit stupid (IMO of course ) because it would just bore students like me (even if I like discussing philosophical **** every now and then) and there would be no point to it being compulsory.
I have tonnes of angles on this issue, but I cba discussing them on TSR as people on here are quite stupid and not worth it (you seem quite clever though).
BTW peopl neg for stupid reasons (just look at the post I made on the first page which has like 8 negs, as well as the one above mine), so I wouldn't worry about whoever negged you, they are probably just snobby science students. If you've been here since 2010, surely you should know that by now.

Yeah I'd abolish negs myself; I didn't really claim to be it's champion btw xD Yeah computer science is probably one of the most needed degrees these days. I'm not saying philosophy is more important, but I get what you meant.

It just aggrevates me that people don't think philosophy is hard! They think putting in an opinion and just learning arguments gets you a good grade; it doesn't. We were told from day one that an opinion-led argument often = U and that learning arguments = juxtaposition = very low grades, (D,E,U). I'd definitely say it's up there are one of, if not the hardest non-science A-level. I'm taking Economics and Politics too at A-Level and it's a fool's game: anyone can get As and an A* really isn't asking for that much: just memorisation.

Hope you get my point. To be honest I'm not leaning much towards the compulsory option anymore: I think the type of people that succeed in philosophy don't need to be thrown into it at GCSE.

[When you see it...]

(Original post by TheSelfAcknowleged)
Yeah I'd abolish negs myself; I didn't really claim to be it's champion btw xD Yeah computer science is probably one of the most needed degrees these days. I'm not saying philosophy is more important, but I get what you meant.

It just aggrevates me that people don't think philosophy is hard! They think putting in an opinion and just learning arguments gets you a good grade; it doesn't. We were told from day one that an opinion-led argument often = U and that learning arguments = juxtaposition = very low grades, (D,E,U). I'd definitely say it's up there are one of, if not the hardest non-science A-level. I'm taking Economics and Politics too at A-Level and it's a fool's game: anyone can get As and an A* really isn't asking for that much: just memorisation.

Hope you get my point. To be honest I'm not leaning much towards the compulsory option anymore: I think the type of people that succeed in philosophy don't need to be thrown into it at GCSE.

What pisses me off about tsr (I thought this would be one of these threads when I first saw it) is that everyone thinks that their subject should be compulsory, even if it is ****ing media studies or something. I would say that computer science has a legtitimate case (no I'm not a CS student BTW ) but for other subjects it is mostly fine as it is.

[ArthurWinterthurII]

With experience in Philosophy (choosing it as a fifth and 'filler' A-Level) and extra-curricular reading thereafter, I have to give credit to Philosophy as having further expanded my awareness and consciousness. It is really quite beneficial, if anything.

However, in terms of secondary school, it may not be suitable, as the state curriculum tends to have a more practical/worldly outlook (even, the English subjects are practical in the sense of demonstrating language proficiency). So, maybe not.

[green.tea]

I think re should become re and philosophy. Re gives priority to religious philosophy and too much is about remembering so and so's ceremonys rather than contrasting the answers of different schools of thought to lifes difficult questions. Its one subject which really should be based around class discussion and the occasional practice of putting an answer in writing. At my school re consisted of copying from the board rather than engaging with the ideas in any meaningful way and i got absolutely nothing from it.

[Kiss]

I don't think it should be mandatory, since we already have Religious and Moral Education - perhaps we should learn about more well known philosophical debates and philosophers in that class though. I'd certainly want philosophy to be encouraged so people can be able to think for themselves but I don't think it should be a mandatory thing, thus I voted the third option.

[Negaduck]

Philosophy should be encouraged; my secondary school didn't even have it as a subject option.

[Trailblazer]

It should be encouraged, but not mandatory. It is a fantastic subject which I have found to me both meaningful, useful and intellectually liberating. But people must choose it for themselves Some people seem to go their entire lives without thinking, they are just chemical.

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te6qG4yn-Ps

"Philosophy is therapy" - Ludwig Wittgenstein

[WillowLeaves]

I think it should be mandatory. I did 5 years of Philosophy in school (not all of them mandatory) and I find it really helped me with being able to consider abstract issues/problems, as well as my general knowledge. I think everyone should do a year or two at least.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[Hewitt]

They should actively encourage it but it should not be compulsory. If people's heart and brain is not in it is unfair to those whose is- to the detriment to the quality of philosophical debate.

[JacobW]

At very least logic and critical thinking should be compulsory. It astounds me that we teach GCSE students to perform mental operations with numbers to a degree of incredible complexity wholly unnecessary for the demands of ordinary life whilst leaving them singularly incapable of analysing the kind of arguments and assertions they will encounter every day. Something needs to be done to redress the ridiculous bias towards mathematics.

[Jack93o]

They should definitely replace religious studies with this, also instead of just philosophy, maybe it could be philosophy and politics.

[Dukeofwembley]

no way, economics needs to be made compulsory first, (along with basic accounting and buisness)