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

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I just need criticisms/supporting theories of all possible arguments
For example Kant's conceptual schema
Empiricists on knowledge
Rationalists on ideas
etc

Also, how/what is Descartes sun example (supporting innate knowledge) because I can't find it online

Kants conceptual scheme:

strength:
- need a conceptual scheme so our experience is intelligible
- conceptual scheme = provides a linguistic structure for the organisation of experience
- a priori categories w/in conceptual scheme that allow us to interpret our experience
- example of an a priori category = causation = we see the world as a series of cause and effect rather than a series of unconnected events. So causation must be one of the a priori concepts that interest the raw data we receive and makes it intelligible in the mind. Without the category causation out sense experience would be unintelligible
- another example = space = if we try to imagine somewhere without space it seems absurd since we can’t take space away from anything we know it how it is. So our concept of space must be a logical one rather than an empirical one because concept of space does not come from experience instead it is necessary for experience

Weaknesses of Kant:
- there is the phenoumena and the noumena - we only ever have access to the phenoumena so do not know if the a priori concepts apply to the noumena
kant response: it makes no sense to try and imagine a world without space/causation
reply to kant: yes but this is obviously the case for us because this is how we experience the phenomena - can't say this is the the case in noumena
- strawson said we don't need category of space - Kant responded this is absurd because to imagine somewhere w/out space does not follow - concept of space is necessary for experience

Empiricists and knowledge
strength: Hume's copy principle
- allows us to acquire knowledge/ideas just through experience
- colour red example
- mind stores copy of sense impression - able to use it later on

weakness:
- concept of space - as said before it is necessary for experience so cannot come from experience - concept must be innate not derived through sense experience
- missing shade of blue - able to form idea of missing shade of blue empiricist thesis fails because able to form ideas/knowledge w/ no corresponding impression

Rationalists and ideas:
Palto and his theory of forms = strength
- eg beauty
- we never directly see concept of beauty in external world
- see beautiful particulars eg beautiful face or beautiful flower but never beauty itself
- idea of beauty must be innate
- this is the same with numbers

weakness of Forms
- cannot scrutinise the forms
- doesn't make sense for all our knowledge to be innate

and I don't know about the sun example i've never heard of it before sorry

Reply 21

faizayasmin

Omg thank you so much!!!!!!! :o:

Reply 22

username1850327

no worries if you need any more help just pm me

are u doing the phil 2 retake next mornay as well?

Reply 23

Rawrrr

Original post by TSweety

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

yes! any idea what will come up?! So bored of Hobbes being such a pessimist about the state of nature :rolleyes:

Reply 24

Rawrrr

Hiiiiiii
Im doing Plato for unit 4
and Moral Philosophy and Political philosophy for unit 3 :smile:

finding the essays really hard to write, if anyone has a good structure to use that'd be super helpful

Reply 25

username1850327

Original post by Rawrrr

yes! any idea what will come up?! So bored of Hobbes being such a pessimist about the state of nature :rolleyes:

which topics do you do for phil 1?

Reply 26

TSweety

Original post by Rawrrr

yes! any idea what will come up?! So bored of Hobbes being such a pessimist about the state of nature :rolleyes:

Hey sorry for late reply
i did reason and exp and morality
how did u find the q :smile:

And Gud luck for ur future exams

Reply 27

TSweety

Original post by Rawrrr

Hiiiiiii
Im doing Plato for unit 4
and Moral Philosophy and Political philosophy for unit 3 :smile:

finding the essays really hard to write, if anyone has a good structure to use that'd be super helpful

I usually write my essay using this formula tht my teacher taught me :

PACE
P - point
A- analysis
C- criticism
E- Evaluation

in the intro i will briefly outline which side i am arguing in favour ..and conclusion make sure i answer the q
hope it helps :smile:

Reply 28

TSweety

Original post by faizayasmin

Omg thank you so much!!!!!!! :o:

Hey

how did u find q on reason and exp
for innate knowledge
i talked abt Plato criticised it and response
and Wittgeinstein lang arg criticism+resp
i also mentioned Conceptual schemes but i had no time for criticism ..so i jumped into conclusion ..well i did my best :smile:

hope u did well too..and gud luck for ur other exams.
do not hesitate to ask if u need any help :smile:

Reply 29

TSweety

guys i was just wondering if any1 has
any model answers for phil of mind / political philosophy
it will b really helpful if u could post any :smile:

Thnk u in advance :smile:

Reply 30

Rawrrr

Original post by TSweety

Ah cheers, for the 50 markers though how many paragraphs do you write/ how many points and criticisms?! D:

Reply 31

Rawrrr

Original post by TSweety

Hey sorry for late reply
i did reason and exp and morality
how did u find the q :smile:

And Gud luck for ur future exams

I did reason and experience too :smile:

and why should i be goverend.. The questions were pretty nice i thought!! Innate knowledge pretty simple rationalism :smile:

what you think?

Reply 32

faizayasmin

Original post by TSweety

Hey

hope u did well too..and gud luck for ur other exams.
do not hesitate to ask if u need any help :smile:

I opened that paper and had felt so blessed looool
I should get 15 marks for the first question and I had also used conceptual schemes/nativism to conclude. I talked about descartes and god, leibniz and the principle of non contradiction and hume i think
Lets hope the examiners are lenient as it is the last exam for this spec.
Thanks! Good luck to you too

Reply 33

Hannah__

Is anyone doing the unit 2 resit on Monday? I'm doing knowledge of the external world and God and the world. I hate God and the world so much hahaha John Hick is insufferable.

Reply 34

TSweety

Original post by Rawrrr

Ah cheers, for the 50 markers though how many paragraphs do you write/ how many points and criticisms?! D:

I would say 2 or 3 discussion points with analysis
and specificaly criticise the point made
then evaluate :smile:

i also include response to the specific criticism in my evaluation and say which arg seems more plausible :smile:

hope it helps .. :smile:

Reply 35

faizayasmin

Original post by Hannah__

Is anyone doing the unit 2 resit on Monday? I'm doing knowledge of the external world and God and the world. I hate God and the world so much hahaha John Hick is insufferable.

Doing God and the World + Free will and determinism
I prefer gatw because it comes more naturally to me, being brought up in a religious household aha
What do you need help on

Reply 36

Hannah__

https://www.youtube.com/user/kanebaker91/videos

Just found this YouTube channel and it's got so many helpful, evaluative, and detailed videos on philosophy. Got loads of philosophy of mind, metaethics and epistemology, and some on the value of art. Been great for getting evaluating material for the 50 markers!