OCR A Level Religious Studies Religion and ethics H573/02 - 14 Jun 2022 [Exam Chat]

Although the advance info doesn't specifically mention the four normative ethical theories, you do have to know them all. Natural Law and situation ethics might be needed to answer the euthanasia question and any of the four of them could come up in application to sexual ethics.

I'm pretty sure everyone will hope to answer euthanasia and conscience and then it's going to be a hard choice between meta-ethics and sexual ethics. Meta-ethics is very hard, but sexual ethics requires so much content to be prepared for the huge range of questions!

Also make sure to be ready for questions on euthanasia or sexual ethics that do not require application. E.g. "Assess whether the sanctity of life has any validity in 21st century medical ethics". Or "Assess whether sexual behaviour should be a private matter or subject to public norms and legislation". Note that although such questions do not require bringing in theories like situation ethics or natural law, nonetheless it is certainly valid to do so, if done in a way that helps you answer the question.

Regarding sexual ethics, you could also get questions about religious vs secular views such as "Assess whether secular views on sexual ethics have been an improvement to religious views". For religious views, you will need Bible quotes and perhaps the views of major theologians, but you can also include Aquinas and Fletcher since their theories are religious. Utilitarianism is an example of a secular theory that you can use to represent the 'secular' side, in addition to general secular views on sexual ethics (e.g. Freud). Kantian ethics is controversial regarding whether it is secular or religious.. probably safest to just not include it in questions like this.

Here are my notes for the topics in the advance info. Sadly I have not finished them for euthanasia:

Meta ethics

Conscience

Sexual ethics

My teacher rushed through sexual ethics and meta ethics is pretty hard so I'll wait for the questions before I decide.

Hey - does anyone know what the Nov 2021 paper qs were? Thanks

-Critically asess the view that natural law is of no help in making moral decisions
-"Issues raised by euthanasia are best addressed by situation ethics." Discuss
-Evaluate the view that Kantian ethics provides a more useful approach to whistle blowing than utilitarianism
-"There is no evidence to support the claim that conscience exists" Discuss

As they've asked natural law and situation ethics focused questions for euthanasia in the past, the question probably won't be a specific focus on either one, right? (E.G. It won't be... Natural law/Situation ethics is useful for euthanasia...Evaluate this view)

I guess it makes it less likely but don't count on it. Besides, they are useful to apply to any question of euthanasia.

do you know if they can ask more than one question from the same topic?