In A Level RPE, we will study the philosophical ideas about reality, religion, and spirituality, examining things like what is ‘real’, whether anything can ever be ‘good’, and the relationship between body and mind. Additionally, the problem of evil will be tackled – how do theists defend an all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God in the face of evil? Does God exist in-time, immortally, or outside of time?
We will also critique the evolution of ethical though, and what makes things right or wrong. Is there such a thing as ‘good’? Is your idea of a ‘good day’, the same as mine? Do we simply know, intuitively, what ‘good’ is?
The final part of the course investigates the development of Christian thinking over time. How has Christianity come to have the ideas it does, looking at questions like how damaging was the introduction of sin? Was Jesus a political revolutionary?
Nigel Warburton: A Little History of Philosphy, Yale University Press, 2011
Read the enrolment tasks provided, and complete the work to introduce philosophy, and ethics.
There is work for each of the two topics, including things to read, things to watch, and things to listen to.
The chapter you need to read is included in the book that has also been uploaded.
Staff email address is included if you have any problems.
Peter Vardy, The Puzzle of God
Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion
Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy
Bertrand Russell, Why I am not a Christian
Peter Vardy, The Puzzle of Christianity
Plato, The Republic
Meet the tutors
A native of Machester, I am a keen football fan and a poor joke-teller. I have a first-class degree in History, a PGCE specialised in A Level teaching, and a Masters degree in History. I have taught Philosophy, History, and Politics at A Level, and I have lectured Politics at degree level.