A and AS Level Philosophy

A & AS Level - Philosophy

• Course Level: A & AS Level
• Duration: 2 Year
• Start date: September 2010
• Qualification: A Level
• Awarded By: AQA

Introduction to course
Do you question things that other people take for granted? Has it occurred to you that we lead our lives based on assumptions that we are barely aware of? If either of these questions fire up your imagination, Philosophy may be able to shed a little light on them. With over 2,000 years of the finest minds as your guide, you will be in good hands...

Course Details
Students studying Philosophy will examine responses to a wide range of questions about what we know about the world. All the modules will get you to test the answers of earlier thinkers to find what is persuasive and unconvincing about them. At AS you will cover the following 4 topics: Reason & Experience: Are we born with knowledge? Can we know things without experiencing them? Persons: Are only humans persons? Could machines or animals be counted too? Knowledge Of The External World: Can we prove that there is an external world? How do we know we aren't dreaming? The Value Of Art: What is the purpose of art? What makes something a work of art? Do the artist's intentions matter? At A2 these topics: Epistemology & Metaphysics: Can we be certain that knowledge of any kind is possible? Do "universals" really exist? Philosophy Of Mind: What/where is the mind? How does the mind interact with the body? Could computers one day have a mind? Nietzsche - Beyond Good & Evil: we delve into this classic incendiary critique of where philosophy has gone wrong, and why we need a new breed of fearless value-fixers to be our new philosophers

Where the course lead
Studying Philosophy develops your ability to analyse arguments and theories and to construct arguments of your own. These skills are highly transferable and attract attention from universities and employers. A qualification in Philosophy marks you out as a reflective, curious and enquiring person with top-notch analytical skills. As such, you will be seen as highly desirable to both universities and employers.

This course combines well with
Any other humanities course will link in terms of content, and it provides excellent arguing skills for use in any essay. As all A level courses contain a degree of analysis, philosophy will complement any of them.

Course Assessment
AS: Unit 1 exam in January Unit 2 exam in June A2: Units 3 and 4: exams in June

Course Progression
Philosophy is a credible and revered A level that is accepted at any UK university. It is often held by students of Law, Politics and English Literature as well as being an invaluable introduction to a degree in philosophy itself.

Careers
The ability to analyse, evaluate and argue a position is vital for any management position in any sector. Whilst the subject knowledge is personally enlightening, it is the set of skills that philosophy enables that are keenly sought be all employers. Some possible choices include Journalism, Politics, Teaching, Media, Academia.