Please or to access all these features

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Phylosophy A'Level: a soft or hard A'level?

35 replies

McCloudsextoy · 22/09/2009 21:10

Does anyone know?

OP posts:
TwentiethCenturyHeffa · 23/09/2009 20:30

I did Philosophy and Ethics at A-level. It was very challenging but I loved it and went on to study it at university. Out of the class of 6 of us, 3 went on to study Philosophy. It can be a very broad subject so I love certain parts (such as political philosophy and ethics) and wasn't very good at/didn't enjoy others (like formal logic).

The A-level and subsequent degree completely changed me and my outlook on life (like Meglet).

vinblanc · 23/09/2009 20:08

It's a hard one, similar to RS.

My DS had a choice of Philosophy, RS or Critical Thinking. Philosophy seemed to be the hardest, and CT a bit of a joke.

Saying that, DS didn't enjoy it at all, although got an A grade.

lazymumofteenagesons · 23/09/2009 18:13

HARD especially when you can't spell it

MintyCane · 23/09/2009 17:14

hard

Meglet · 22/09/2009 21:34

Hard. I'm in mensa and I got an 'E'. Even that was a massive learning curve.

Very, very interesting subject IMO. Changed my outlook on life.

I remember in the first lesson the lecturer said he was going to turn us into 'nit-picking philosophy students', he was right.

angelene · 22/09/2009 21:30

DH teaches philosophy as part of Ethics A Level and it is bloody hard from what I can see.

Just as an example I heard an In Our Time on the radio the other day about Thomas Aquinas and he is going to use it in a lesson as a 'stretch' - and that programme requires an extremely high level of intellect and thought IMO.

It's also part of the hallowed PPE isn't it?

Lilymaid · 22/09/2009 21:24

It is taught at DS1's very academic independent - in fact one of DS1's friends did Philosophy A Level and then went on to do Philosophy at Cambridge.

McCloudsextoy · 22/09/2009 21:23

Yes, it helps, many thanks.

OP posts:
Milliways · 22/09/2009 21:15

Philosophy & Ethics is respected.

Philosophy on it's own is on the Cambridge list of "A levels suitable for Arts courses" if that helps?

BecauseImWorthIt · 22/09/2009 21:15

A hard one, I think. Well received as far as I understand it, by universities, as it helps to teach students how to think.