OCR AS Philosophy &amp; Ethics: Official Thread for May/June 2016

Original post by Ellieocallaghan

Great resource, you must be a great philosopher

the sarcasm, the sarcasm shhhh, Ellie :wink:

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Reply 88

ivybridge

For AS Ethics, I predict that the following will come up:

•

Natural Moral Law

•

Absolutism and Relativism

•

Medical Ethics (abortion/embryo research/genetic engineering)

•

War and Peace

Reply 89

Original post by Theresexx

Hey, my teacher gave our class a structure which he invented for the questions and it really works!!

A)
1. start with a short introduction giving background information on the topic or key people / words, what they mean, why they are important
2. write everything you know about that topic which is relevant to the question being asked, make sure you don't just describe but explain why the thing you are writing about is the way it is, always keep focused to the question.
3. Do NOT write a conclusion for A, it unnecessary and a waste of time, there is no need to give your opinion save that for B

A should be about 2 sides of A4 depending on the size of you handwriting, I know its hard to always think of things to write for A but if you know the topic really well it should be okay. In the exam always chose the questions which you have the most to write about.

B) (credit to my teacher) PACE

1. Short introduction: what is the crux of the argument? and short background information if you have time!!

P - Point of the argument you are making
A- Analysis of that point, what does it mean, why is it like that?
C- Criticise the point (give a strength and weakness)
E- Evaluate - link back to the question or statement, what does this show about the argument the question is trying to engage you in.

Hope this helps!!

Omggg thank you so much. God Guide you and protect you AMEN.

Reply 90

Hey guys how would you answer this question...
Explain how a follower of natural law might respond to human embryo research? 25marks.

I personally would start of like this...

intro:

-Natural law is absolutist, priori , etc and why its like that.
-How Aristotle made the theory first and Aquinas adapted it. (I would talk a bit about Aristotles version of natural law eg; reaching -eudaimonia by focusing on virtues)
-Define embryo research

Para 1
-Aquinas's synderesis and 4 laws etc
-primary precepts
-Secondary precepts
- How embryo research can be applied.

Para 2
- Doctrine of double effect and how it can be applied to embryo research.
-Apparent and real good- as applied to embryo research.

IF ANYONE HAS ANYMORE TO ADD PLEASE DO SO !! ANDD AM QUITE CONFUSED BY THE MEANING OF EMBROY RESEARCH IS IT IN THE SENSE OF GENETIC ENGINEERING OR IS IT RIGHT TO A CHILD?

Reply 91

ivybridge

Original post by nujam438

Hey guys how would you answer this question...
Explain how a follower of natural law might respond to human embryo research? 25marks.

I personally would start of like this...

intro:

-Natural law is absolutist, priori , etc and why its like that.
-How Aristotle made the theory first and Aquinas adapted it. (I would talk a bit about Aristotles version of natural law eg; reaching -eudaimonia by focusing on virtues)
-Define embryo research

Para 1
-Aquinas's synderesis and 4 laws etc
-primary precepts
-Secondary precepts
- How embryo research can be applied.

Para 2
- Doctrine of double effect and how it can be applied to embryo research.
-Apparent and real good- as applied to embryo research.

IF ANYONE HAS ANYMORE TO ADD PLEASE DO SO !! ANDD AM QUITE CONFUSED BY THE MEANING OF EMBROY RESEARCH IS IT IN THE SENSE OF GENETIC ENGINEERING OR IS IT RIGHT TO A CHILD?

I disagree with this a lot. You are including a lot of very irrelevant material.

Jump straight in - note that Natural Moral Law is a teleological approach to ethics. Explain the theory. Use an example relevant to the question and applied ethics topic, when explaining the secondary precepts. Then explain how it would respond to at least 2, preferably 3, issues surrounding embryo research. You could bring actual and apprent goods into it too.

I sound harsh but my teacher is part of the OCR examining team for this unit and also has been commissioned by them to write new textbooks. This is how she marked my first ever essays that were like yours.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 92

Theresexx

Original post by nujam438

Hey guys how would you answer this question...
Explain how a follower of natural law might respond to human embryo research? 25marks.

I personally would start of like this...

intro:

-Natural law is absolutist, priori , etc and why its like that.
-How Aristotle made the theory first and Aquinas adapted it. (I would talk a bit about Aristotles version of natural law eg; reaching -eudaimonia by focusing on virtues)
-Define embryo research

Para 1
-Aquinas's synderesis and 4 laws etc
-primary precepts
-Secondary precepts
- How embryo research can be applied.

Para 2
- Doctrine of double effect and how it can be applied to embryo research.
-Apparent and real good- as applied to embryo research.

IF ANYONE HAS ANYMORE TO ADD PLEASE DO SO !! ANDD AM QUITE CONFUSED BY THE MEANING OF EMBROY RESEARCH IS IT IN THE SENSE OF GENETIC ENGINEERING OR IS IT RIGHT TO A CHILD?

Your welcome!
This sounds good so far and I think you have included tonnes of information, just remember Aquinas is a posteriori not a priori (but I don't think this matters too much for his ethics, philosophy only) - he believes we have an innate divine spark (moral law) written inside us, we use our reasoning to deduce this and we're aided by divine law (the Bible) our moral law should be a reflection of the divine law.
Also I think the embryo research is in relation to genetic engineering, the right to a child stuff would be like IVF I think!!
You could also add in stuff about the RCC because they follow NML and have come up with their own primary precepts and they condemn embryo research - links to the Bible passage from Genesis 'and the two became one flesh'

Hope this helps!!

Reply 93

Good feedback guys.

Could someone give a detailed example of embryo research (any notes preferably ).

We need to remember that these theories are old therefore we are just assuming that they would say these stuff about embryo research.

If embryo research is about the use of IVF and genetic engineering In order to bring treatment then natural law would support it as it is preserving life. For example gene therapy could be use to treat people with genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis.
We could also maybe talk about how we might think that embryo research is good, however we don't really know allot about it thus could be pursuing an apparent good and not a real good??
The doctrine of double effect could also be used to justify the spare embryos as the intention may have been to save life.
Also could we argue that Aquinas was a Christian thus sacred of life etc and that however we don't need to be a believer of God inorder to follow natural law? or is that evaluation?

IVYBRIDGE; how would you apply the secondary precepts to embryo research.

Reply 94