Philosophy is about enquiry. It is about using reason to answer fundamental questions that have occupied enquiring minds since the ancient Greeks. We cannot do this without using structured and well-reasoned arguments. Students will develop skills in absorbing and evaluating the ideas of philosophers and using them to address questions such as whether we can believe the evidence of our senses and whether there are rational grounds for believing that God exists. Course Content The syllabus is based on philosophical exploration with the emphasis on ideas rather than particular texts. AS Level At AS, candidates will be introduced to a number of key philosophical themes, which will provide a broad introduction to the study of philosoph. These include how we experience the external world, why we should act morally and whether the universe shows evidence of design. A2 Level Candidates will be given the opportunity to specialise further. Two themes will be selected to study in depth and a key text will be chosen as a focus for exploring philosophical problems. Whilst essay writing is an important part of the course students will have plenty of opportunity for discussion in small groups and as a class. Video and auditory material is used to explore philosophical ideas, which will often also be presented as powerpoints. Text books are chosen for their clarity and usefulness for exam purposes but will be supplemented with additional material in order to make them more comprehensible to learners new to the subject.

There is no coursework - AS examinations will be taken in January and May, whilst at A2, all examinations are in June. Students will prepare for them with homework essays and sample questions completed in class. Examination board AQA 2170 Assessment 100% examinations Programme co-ordinator Mike Gothorp Teaching staff Mike Gothorp Where can the subject lead me? There are two reasons for studying philosophy. The first is to develop skills in reasoning, critical assessment and evaluation that will serve you well in many other areas. It will serve as a good ground for whatever academic subject you choose to study at university and will clarify your approach if you choose an analytic profession such as law or business management. The second reason is pure, natural curiosity.