Aqa A2 Philosophy Unit 3 &amp; 4, PHIL3/PHIL4 Revision Thread

Original post by TSweety

Heyy Guys

This is a revision thread for the upcoming A2 AQA Philosophy Exam

Unit 3 - Key themes in Philosophy
The sections tht i am studying;
Philosophy of Mind & Political Philosophy

Unit 4 - Philosophical Problems
Section on Plato

Please feel free to share any revision tips, materials, past paper questions etc.. Well.. Let's get together guys and stay motivated..

Gud Luck to everyone :smile:

Hey dude

We are studying the same PHIL3 units, but I'm doing Descartes for PHIL4!

How are you feeling about the exam?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

TSweety

OP

Original post by tomfailinghelp

Hey dude

We are studying the same PHIL3 units, but I'm doing Descartes for PHIL4!

How are you feeling about the exam?

Hi there,

Glad to hear we are doing the same Phil3 units :smile:

Feeling quite stressed about it .. I'm still finishing up with my notes
How about you ? :smile:

Reply 3

dmcque

Hi,

I'm studying Philosophy of Mind, Epistemology and Metaphysics and Hume's Enquires.

However, I'm struggling with the essay structure. Has your teacher given you a certain essay structure or exemplar work???

Thanks

Original post by TSweety

Hi there,

Glad to hear we are doing the same Phil3 units :smile:

Feeling quite stressed about it .. I'm still finishing up with my notes
How about you ? :smile:

Reply 4

PHIL3 Example 1.pdf366.7KB

Original post by TSweety

Hi there,

Glad to hear we are doing the same Phil3 units :smile:

Feeling quite stressed about it .. I'm still finishing up with my notes
How about you ? :smile:

Um... I don't know? Haha, it's bad! I've been doing fine so far this year so I have not really started revising yet for PHIL3 (PHIL4 is less of an issue in that sense), but I think I'll be okay really. The topics are very interesting so I'm just gonna do each essay a few times. I love how for this spec the questions are pretty similar ever year, reduces a lot of stress for me. Still, can't deny I'm a bit worried - this is the subject I have to get an A* in!

Original post by dmcque

Hi,

I'm studying Philosophy of Mind, Epistemology and Metaphysics and Hume's Enquires.

However, I'm struggling with the essay structure. Has your teacher given you a certain essay structure or exemplar work???

Thanks

Hey dude, my teacher has sent me some exemplar material from the exam board.

Should be attached to this post :smile:

PHIL3 Example 2.pdf495.5KB

PHIL3 Example 4.pdf441.4KB

PHIL3 Example 5.pdf497.7KB

Reply 5

The Nightingale

15

Really struggling with Philosophy this year. Gah, need an A. All I've done so far is revise Political Philosophy and done a few papers.

What do you think is the best way to revise? Currently I'm just re-writing notes, doing flashcards for key terms and doing paper plans and essays here and there. So stressed out!

Reply 6

Original post by The Nightingale

Really struggling with Philosophy this year. Gah, need an A. All I've done so far is revise Political Philosophy and done a few papers.

What do you think is the best way to revise? Currently I'm just re-writing notes, doing flashcards for key terms and doing paper plans and essays here and there. So stressed out!

Don't worry dude, I just did a Political Philosophy mock the other day and my teacher refused to mark it... whoopsie.

Probably a bit of a useless recommendation but I personally find that reading primary texts is a very easy way to revise: it just all kind of slots itself in. Otherwise, essay writing I find useful. I know its a little difficult when every essay is an hour long, but if you get used to writing one on each topic it isn't so hard. Just remember that there are only so many questions they ever ask, so if you prepare for the most common ones ('Is authority necessary or good?' 'Should we redistribute property?' 'Do people have rights?' 'Is war ever just?') you'll probably be okay.

Reply 7

The Nightingale

15

Original post by tomfailinghelp

Don't worry dude, I just did a Political Philosophy mock the other day and my teacher refused to mark it... whoopsie.

Probably a bit of a useless recommendation but I personally find that reading primary texts is a very easy way to revise: it just all kind of slots itself in. Otherwise, essay writing I find useful. I know its a little difficult when every essay is an hour long, but if you get used to writing one on each topic it isn't so hard. Just remember that there are only so many questions they ever ask, so if you prepare for the most common ones ('Is authority necessary or good?' 'Should we redistribute property?' 'Do people have rights?' 'Is war ever just?') you'll probably be okay.

Why wouldn't they mark the essay?

Am only doing Mill in terms of primary texts and I have wayyyyy too many notes on everything. Panic-mode is definitely setting in now. How much have you done so far?

Essays are the way to go I think. I'm just going to try and do every essay at least once since there's a lot of crossover as you said. I'm wondering if a month is enough to revise half of unit 3 and all of unit 4 :/

Reply 8

Original post by The Nightingale

Why wouldn't they mark the essay?

Am only doing Mill in terms of primary texts and I have wayyyyy too many notes on everything. Panic-mode is definitely setting in now. How much have you done so far?

Essays are the way to go I think. I'm just going to try and do every essay at least once since there's a lot of crossover as you said. I'm wondering if a month is enough to revise half of unit 3 and all of unit 4 :/

He just said he didn't know what grade it would have got :tongue:

Im fine with Unit 4 really. We're doing Descartes, so in total probably only have about 50 pages of stuff to learn for that. Unit 3 worries me a little more, so I'm just using the same tactic as you - essays.

Reply 9

The Nightingale

15

I'm really struggling with the Just War question. I'm attempted to use a pacifist approach, but really struggling with how to structure it. I was going to go through each criteria and use real-life examples where the criteria has been observed/not observed, but then it becomes very descriptive, rather than being an argument really :/

Reply 10

TSweety

OP

Anyone else doing any phil aqa retake unit 1 ?
Which is on thursday 14th may :smile:

Reply 11

Forevergrace

Yeah I am, literally trying to remember all of my rev material for last year in 2 days. :frown:

Reply 12

Original post by TSweety

Anyone else doing any phil aqa retake unit 1 ?
Which is on thursday 14th may :smile:

Yes I am doing the retake how are you feeling for it?

Reply 13

Also I am doing:

PHIL 3: epistemology and metaphysics and philosophy of religion

And

PHIL 4: Descartes

Reply 14

Original post by TSweety

Anyone else doing any phil aqa retake unit 1 ?
Which is on thursday 14th may :smile:

I am! R+E and personhood, quite nervous as I don't think I'll be able to be better second time round

Reply 15

Original post by phoebc

Yes I am doing the retake how are you feeling for it?

Guys I need help

Reply 16

Original post by faizayasmin

I am! R+E and personhood, quite nervous as I don't think I'll be able to be better second time round

how did you do last year??

Reply 17

Original post by faizayasmin

Guys I need help

whats up? i can help with R+E don't do personhood sorry

Reply 18

Original post by phoebc

how did you do last year??

U and D rounding up to an E :frown:

Reply 19