Philosophy & Ethics

A Level – OCR Religious Studies

Philosophy & Ethics offers you an interesting and intellectually challenging A Level that will help develop your understanding of philosophical, spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues.

This is your opportunity to ask some of the big questions of life such as: Should there be rules to ensure that countries trade fairly with each other? Where does our understanding of morality come from? Is there life after death? Can we prove God’s existence?

Studying Philosophy, Ethics and DCT will also develop a variety of skills, including those of discussion and debate. The valuable skills of logical argument and critical evaluation are also developed and can be transferred to other areas of study.

What will I study?
Our course is divided into 3 areas of study:

Philosophy of Religion
You will study philosophical language and thought, and issues and questions raised by belief including ancient philosophical influences (Plato and Aristotle), the nature of the soul, mind and body, arguments about the existence or non-existence of God, the problem of evil, religious experiences and religious language

Religious Ethics
You will explore key concepts and the works of influential thinkers, ethical theories and their application: Normative ethical theories such as Natural Law, Situation Ethics Kant and Utilitarianism, the application of ethical theory to euthanasia and Business Ethics, Ethical language, Debates surrounding the idea of conscience, with a focus on Freud and Aquinas, and Sexual ethics.

Development of Christian Thought
You will undertake a study of Christian beliefs, values and teachings, their interconnections, and how they vary historically and in the contemporary world. These include a study of human nature, death and the afterlife, Christian moral action, issues surrounding gender, the challenge of secularism and Liberation Theology.