Why study Philosophy and Ethics?

A-Level Philosophy and Ethics is going to give you an opportunity to gain a deep understanding into world religions and get you exploring not only philosophy of religion but also religion and ethics. These three topics are going to give you the chance to explore relevant issues but also make you have a critical understanding of major issues that are relevant to you in the twenty-first century. This course is suitable to students who have a religious commitment and those that don’t have any.

“A-level Philosophy and Ethics isn’t going to get me a job”

Think again on that one. Religious Studies is going to give you an opportunity to develop skills that will become transferable not only into the world of work but also onto higher education. Whether that be going on to study Theology, Philosophy or Religious Studies at university or whether you’re thinking of other undergraduate courses.

 

Course Overview

Philosophy of Religion

You will study:

  • Ancient philosophical influences
  • The nature of the soul, mind and body
  • Arguments about the existence or non-existence of God
  • The nature and impact of religious experience
  • The challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil
  • Ideas about the nature of God
  • Issues in religious language.

Religion and Ethics

You will study:

  • Normative ethical theories
  • The application of ethical theory to two contemporary issues of importance
  • Ethical language and thought
  • Debates surrounding the significant idea of conscience
  • Sexual ethics and the influence on ethical thought of developments in religious beliefs.

Developments in religious thought

You will study:

  • Religious beliefs, values and teachings
  • Sources of religious wisdom and authority
  • Practices which shape and express religious identity, and how these vary within a tradition
  • Significant social and historical developments in theology and religious thought
  • Key themes related to the relationship between religion and society

This part of the course will all be done from a Christian perspective.