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AS/A Level Philosophy
Subject Staff: Gary Widdowfield
- Level: AS/A Level
- Duration: 2 years
Why should I choose this course?
- I am interested in the big questions:
• What is the nature of reality?
• What is truth?
• What is right? What is wrong?
• When, if ever, is government legitimate? - I am interested in philosophical debates and in finding out about how philosophers have tackled the big questions that humans have asked themselves.
What does the course consist of?
- Two units are studied in the first year, to achieve AS-level
• Unit 1 introduces some of the key questions of philosophy such as ‘Why should I be moral? Why should I be governed? How do I gain knowledge of the world?’
• Unit 2 develops two themes from unit 1 – Tolerance and how to live with difference; What is the value of art? - A further two units are studied to complete the full A-level
• Unit 3 You will study the following:
Political Philosophy
Moral Philosophy
• Unit 4 In this unit you will approach philosophy through a series of debates raised by philosophers in a classic text. You will study one of the following classic philosophical texts:
The Republic: Plato
Beyond Good & Evil: Friedrich Nietzsche
The Meditations: René Descartes
What are the entry requirements?
- At least 5 A* to C passes at GCSE, including English Language
How is this course assessed?
- All units are assessed by examination
What might this course lead on to?
- Any career where analytical skills are important as Philosophy develops the ability to think, to assess arguments and to appreciate the points of view of others
- Higher Education – Philosophy, Religious Education, Theology, Law, Politics, Sociology
If you have any questions about this course, e-mail philosophy@stocktonsfc.ac.uk