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What do you study at Philosophy A-Level?

I intend on taking it for A-Level but since I'v never taken it before I would like to know what it is you study in those 2 years. What are the exams like and what modules are their in A-Level?
thanks so much for any information regarding my query
It's basically religious studies.
Reply 2
Original post by Oneiropólos
I intend on taking it for A-Level but since I'v never taken it before I would like to know what it is you study in those 2 years. What are the exams like and what modules are their in A-Level?
thanks so much for any information regarding my query


Do you know what exam board you're planning to take because the exams & modules differ from spec to spec?
Original post by aidenj
Do you know what exam board you're planning to take because the exams & modules differ from spec to spec?


I'm taking it at City and Islington hopefully but I'm not sure what spec.
I checked on their website but I couldn't find it
Reply 4
Original post by Oneiropólos
I'm taking it at City and Islington hopefully but I'm not sure what spec.
I checked on their website but I couldn't find it


Okay, I'm guessing you're doing AQA because no other big exam board does straight philosophy. You might wanna google AQA A level philosophy and find the spec, its gonna be the best thing when you get to revision time for exams with it having everything they can possibly test you on in it.

Although, imo, I wouldn't do straight up Philosophy unless you really love philosophy. If your college offers it, I would take Religious Studies instead of Philosophy because it still contains Philosophy but also contains Ethics (and if you do OCR you take Developments in religious thoughts, most lightly Christian thought). It just gives you wider knowledge base than a pure Philosophy A Level would.
Original post by Oneiropólos
I intend on taking it for A-Level but since I'v never taken it before I would like to know what it is you study in those 2 years. What are the exams like and what modules are their in A-Level?
thanks so much for any information regarding my query


I've just finished AS philosophy and can tell you a little about the modules and what it's like. In the first year on my AQA specification we sat two two modules culminating in a single 3 hour exam. These two modules were epistemology and philosophy of religion.

The epistemology part requires you to understand the different methods of acquiring knowledge and also looks at what we claim to know about the world. For example, in the sub topic of perception, you explore three ways of understanding the world. You will look at direct realism, indirect realism idealism.
That is just part of about 6 topics you look at under epistemology.

Onwards with philosophy of religion. I would like to point out that whilst slightly similar to religious studies, this is not the same. In religious studies you look at different cultures and the way different religions operate. That is at least my understanding. Philosophy looks at many, ontological, cosmological design, styles of arguments and explores their successes and failures. You also explore the concept of God and religious language, wether it can be said to be meaningful or meaningless.

Whilst the specification may have changed it will be somewhat similar. There are also lots of new words and my friends have often referred to it as another language. Some of the these words can be found below if you wish to gain a solid footing before starting.
A priori- without sensation
A posteriori- with or from sensation
Empiricism- a way of understanding the world a posteriori
Rationalism- a way of understanding the world a priori
Synthetic a priori- understanding a priori things through(for Descartes the existence of the world) through a posteriori methods.
Cognitivism- factual based claims
Non cognitivism- non factual, often belief based claims.
These are just a few that I believe will be helpfull.
Some of the philosophers you will study include,
Locke
Russell
Descartes
Kant
Plantinga
Aqunias
Gaunillo
Anselm
Plato
Socrates
I would also recommend reading Sophie's world as this will give you an introduction to some of these names
At A2 you study philosophy of ethics and something else I cannot recall off the top of my head, (I'm currently on holiday without the specification or information in front of me)

Philosophy can be taken with any other A level and so if you struggle with essay writing because your sciencey don't worry. I take geology and geography and philosophy provides a welcomed break.
If you need any other information, whether it be philosophy or just about a levels don't hesitate in sending me a message.I hope this information has been of some use.
Joshua Catton
@JoshuaCatton would it go with DT and MATH and FRENCH. I've been told that there's no direct link between the subjects and it would look ridiculous to unis. The thing is I really find it interesting although I have no interest in persuing it further after A levels. Is it possible for me to study it in my own time?
Original post by justrevising
@JoshuaCatton would it go with DT and MATH and FRENCH. I've been told that there's no direct link between the subjects and it would look ridiculous to unis. The thing is I really find it interesting although I have no interest in persuing it further after A levels. Is it possible for me to study it in my own time?


You can study it in your own time as a lot of it is just learning the arguments for/against a certain idea. You'd probably struggle with the lack of resources though especially when it comes to exam technique.

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