The Student Room Group

Edexcel RS A2 Unit 3/4 - June 19th and 27th

Seems there's not many people doing Edexcel but may as well try!

What areas is everyone studying?

I'm doing Ethics and Buddhism, and in Unit 3 am probably going to be answering questions on Deontology/Virtue Ethics, the Bodhisattva Path and Pure Land/Zen.

I'm also doing the Buddhism anthology question for unit 4. I've been mainly focusing on the two articles which didn't come up last year, and particularly hoping it's one rather than the other, since I've annotated that one a bit more in depth.

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Reply 1
Original post by LouKayenta05
Seems there's not many people doing Edexcel but may as well try!

What areas is everyone studying?

I'm doing Ethics and Buddhism, and in Unit 3 am probably going to be answering questions on Deontology/Virtue Ethics, the Bodhisattva Path and Pure Land/Zen.

I'm also doing the Buddhism anthology question for unit 4. I've been mainly focusing on the two articles which didn't come up last year, and particularly hoping it's one rather than the other, since I've annotated that one a bit more in depth.


Hi, I know you said you'll be answering questions on the Deontology/virtue ethics section. I know that natural law comes up in that section too. Do you know is natural will definitely come up in this years paper, or will it just be deontology and virtue?
Original post by maceve
Hi, I know you said you'll be answering questions on the Deontology/virtue ethics section. I know that natural law comes up in that section too. Do you know is natural will definitely come up in this years paper, or will it just be deontology and virtue?


From what I've seen from the past papers, each year either two or all three of the theories tend to come up.

Last year's paper had natural law and deontology without virtue, so I think virtue ethics is very likely to come up this year, with one of the others (or possibly both).

That's why I've decided to just learn those two - they're the ones I find easiest, and with 2/3 of the theories learnt I should be good. I don't think there's ever been a year where just one of the theories was asked about, so there's always a choice of at least 2!
Reply 3
Original post by LouKayenta05
From what I've seen from the past papers, each year either two or all three of the theories tend to come up.

Last year's paper had natural law and deontology without virtue, so I think virtue ethics is very likely to come up this year, with one of the others (or possibly both).

That's why I've decided to just learn those two - they're the ones I find easiest, and with 2/3 of the theories learnt I should be good. I don't think there's ever been a year where just one of the theories was asked about, so there's always a choice of at least 2!


Ahh thats annoying, i wanted to get away with just learning natural law, but would be pretty screwed if only Deontology or virtue can up.
Original post by maceve
Ahh thats annoying, i wanted to get away with just learning natural law, but would be pretty screwed if only Deontology or virtue can up.


I've been told by a teacher that her guess Deontology won't come up as there was a full question on it last year, so I'm learning NML and Virtue Ethics, but its always good to have knowledge on all three.. just in case
Reply 5
Original post by ManLikeWubs
I've been told by a teacher that her guess Deontology won't come up as there was a full question on it last year, so I'm learning NML and Virtue Ethics, but its always good to have knowledge on all three.. just in case


Deontology wasn't on the 2012 paper, other than that it's came up every year. Virtue ethics hasn't came up twice. My guess would be that if one wasn't going to come up, it would be NML, which has been on the paper every year. Can't see them leaving deontology out, it's the most popular ethics topic and my teacher said the year they did leave it out, they got loads of abuse. Personally, I think all three will be on the paper.
Religion and Morality could also come up!
We're learning 12 texts for developments and l dont think am gonna pass it because no one else is doing it in thestudentroom
NML HAS CAME UP EVERY YEAR WITHOUT A DOUBT (sorry thats in capitals realised before it was too late and can't be arsed to re type it )
Original post by LouKayenta05
From what I've seen from the past papers, each year either two or all three of the theories tend to come up.

Last year's paper had natural law and deontology without virtue, so I think virtue ethics is very likely to come up this year, with one of the others (or possibly both).

That's why I've decided to just learn those two - they're the ones I find easiest, and with 2/3 of the theories learnt I should be good. I don't think there's ever been a year where just one of the theories was asked about, so there's always a choice of at least 2!
Reply 9
Guys for unit 4 which philosopher do you think would come up?
Reply 10
Also for the religious language question my a02 was so **** like I had one crap point and just kept repeating it what sort of mark will I get if I didn't have much scholarly reference etc?
Original post by jainx22
Also for the religious language question my a02 was so **** like I had one crap point and just kept repeating it what sort of mark will I get if I didn't have much scholarly reference etc?


For the Unit 4 paper, are you looking at LaFollette, Schneewind and Jamieson?
Reply 12
Original post by lucyawcock
For the Unit 4 paper, ar
e you looking at LaFollette, Schneewind and Jamieson?


Nope...Westphal Donovan and Ayer...have your 3 philsoophers had a trend in the way they have appeared in the exams each year?
Original post by jainx22
Nope...Westphal Donovan and Ayer...have your 3 philsoophers had a trend in the way they have appeared in the exams each year?


Yes, my teachers think that Lafollette is going to come up because it hasn't appeared since 2014 so i'm hoping he comes up! what about you?
Original post by jainx22
Also for the religious language question my a02 was so **** like I had one crap point and just kept repeating it what sort of mark will I get if I didn't have much scholarly reference etc?


I'm with you on this one. That religious language question absolutely ruined my chances of getting an A. Considering how tight the grade boundaries are as well I think it's safe to say I'll be finding a new home when my parents find out how epically I've messed up.

Sigh
Anyone doing Philosophy of Religion for Unit 4.. are you thinking either Westphal or Donovan? :hmmm:
Reply 16
Original post by Banter_Bus
Anyone doing Philosophy of Religion for Unit 4.. are you thinking either Westphal or Donovan? :hmmm:

What are you thinking :/// APPAZ THERES A TREND but i dont know if they will stick to it?
Original post by jainx22
What are you thinking :/// APPAZ THERES A TREND but i dont know if they will stick to it?


I think it's definitely more likely to be on Westphal or Donovan. Westphal hasn't come up since 2014 and it was Ayer last year. I'm incredibly nervous because Westphal I feel is by far the most difficult, but since it's the last year of this spec they could throw something totally unexpected and do Ayer again. :/
Reply 18
Original post by Banter_Bus
I think it's definitely more likely to be on Westphal or Donovan. Westphal hasn't come up since 2014 and it was Ayer last year. I'm incredibly nervous because Westphal I feel is by far the most difficult, but since it's the last year of this spec they could throw something totally unexpected and do Ayer again. :/


I'm so scared then because there's literally no way we can predict for sure :frown:(( it's gonna take ages to revise I have no clue what's im gonna do
Original post by jainx22
I'm so scared then because there's literally no way we can predict for sure :frown:(( it's gonna take ages to revise I have no clue what's im gonna do


Don't be scared! If you've not revised a lot for it up to now, I'd definitely start on Donovan and then do Westphal so that you've got knowledge of those two inside out since they're most likely to be the subject of the paper, and then just skim through Ayer last. Ayer is the shortest and most straightforward of the three, his arguments are based on the absence of empirical evidence for the existence of god and so the word god cannot even be a meaningful word to use. If you remember that for Ayer, and then bring in arguments from all aspects over the last two years you really can't go wrong!

Over 60% of students get an A in this paper because it's so so easy to pick up marks. Quote/what they said, scholar, explanation for every single point you make and your marks will just roll in!

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