why choose

A LevelPHILOSOPHYPHILOSOPHY

Questions for lifeHave you ever sat quietly and asked yourself difficult

questions? Like ‘does God exist?’, or ‘are we really

free?’ If you have, then you are philosophical

by nature. But what is philosophy? Well, even

The Oxford Companion to Philosophy says that

most interesting definitions of philosophy are

controversial, whilst Mastering Philosophy says

there is “no straightforward definition”.

But what most people agree on is that

philosophy is about using rational

argument and logical thinking to shine

some light on life’s big questions. In doing

so you’ll get a greater understanding of the

world we live in, and of yourself. Cool. You think, therefore you areYou might be thinking to yourself, ‘what’s the point of taking philosophy?’ And one answer is that it will help you to become a great thinker. Considering abstract subjects and applying them to everyday

life will be personally useful, but

is also a very worthwhile skill in a

number of career choices. But more

on that after you’ve learned about

the course content. Your key learning topicsIn the first year (AS) you’ll have an

introduction to philosophy in two parts.

Part 1 includes subjects like ‘The idea of

God, and ‘Why should I be moral?’ Part 2

includes ‘Realism and idealism’ and ‘Free

will and determinism’. This first year gets you

into the mindset of philosophy, from where you can

spread your wings and consider loftier subjects.

In year two, the first study topic is ‘Key themes in

philosophy’. Here you’ll shine a light on subjects

like moral and religious philosophy, along with stuff

like political philosophy. The second study topic

is ‘Philosophical problems’, where you’ll get your

head around some of the issues pondered by great

philosophers over the years.

On your marks ...In the first year you’ll sit two papers; one covering what you learned in Part 1, the other Part 2. Each 90 minute paper will account for 50% of your marks for the year. In the second year you’ll have two papers again, but this time the paper covering ‘Key themes’ accounts for 60% of your marks for the year, whilst ‘Philosophical problems’ accounts for 40%. Where will success take me?OK. For the vast majority of students - even those who go on to take the subject at university - ‘philosopher’ is not the kind of job title you see down at the local job centre. But what philosophy does do is fine-tune your reasoning so that your enhanced intellect can be applied to other careers. Law, politics, the civil service, journalism, advertising, education ... these are some of the careers where your ability to turn abstract subjects into solid concepts will be highly regarded.

What skills will I learn?

Philosophy helps students develop a number of new skills:

- How to think for yourself and question the norm

- How to examine information in a critical way

- How to form judgements based on clear evaluation

of information

- How to put your point of view across clearly

- How to take responsibility for your own learning.

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The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company number 3644723) and a registered charity (registered charity number 1073334). Registered address: AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.

Dr Michael Cresswell, Director General.

http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/philosophy_new.php

MIG0169.07SG

Will it fit in my life?Philosophy - or the sharp thinking that philosophy promotes - supports a wide variety of careers. From Law to Electronics and Art to Food Technology, there’s a valid argument for making philosophy a foundation subject that will turn you from a smart person into a great thinker. Can’t wait to get started?Your tutor and career adviser will be the best people to help you decide whether this course is the right choice for you. They will be as passionate as you to find the best subject to develop your talents!

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